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Showbiz Tonight
Special Edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: SHOWBIZ on Location
Aired July 05, 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, a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - SHOWBIZ on location. We are on set and behind the scenes of TV`s biggest daytime shows including "Live with Kelly, "The Chew" and "The Talk."
Tonight, SHOWBIZ reveals all the big on-set secrets.
(MUSIC)
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer and this is a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - SHOWBIZ on location.
We are stepping out of the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT studio to bring you incredible backstage access to some of daytime`s biggest shows.
But first tonight, "Live with Kelly" revealed. Kelly Ripa has become a bigger force on daytime TV since Regis Philbin left the show back in November. "Live with Kelly" is a ratings winner.
But the man behind Kelly is Michael Gelman the executive producer of the show. He has been known to fans for years really as the butt of a lot of Regis` jokes. The show`s continued success though is no joke.
So what is the secret to their success? Well, I spoke with Gelman on the set of "Live" and he reveals the real story behind the magic of "Live with Kelly."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I love the fact that you have to do the show for how many years now?
MICHAEL GELMAN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, LIVE! WITH KELLY: Almost 30.
HAMMER: Almost 30 years?
GELMAN: Every time - you know I start to get bored, something reignites my - you know my energy and there`s a new challenge. I mean, going national, you know, becoming a national syndicated hit.
You know, finding someone to replace Kathie Lee, you know now, it`s you know, finding the new iteration of the show with Kelly and someone else.
RIPA: Neil Patrick Harris.
GELMAN: If we`re doing our jobs right, it looks totally unrehearsed, like two people got together for coffee and, you know, talked about what was in the papers and their lives and your celebrity friends came over -
RIPA: And jumped over fire?
GELMAN: I don`t think the show really gets the respect that it deserves because we make it look so easy.
HAMMER: So when we watch these cooking segments -
GELMAN: Yes -
HAMMER: They seem to go off so seamlessly and flawlessly and you have finite amount of time. But you have to walk through whole thing -
GELMAN: Yes, so we got through it and the director goes through it too. We know what`s going to happen or supposed to happen.
HAMMER: We have a little experience -
GELMAN: Yes, we`ve done 87 or 8,000 or 10,000 hours of "Live" TV.
HAMMER: It looks natural.
GELMAN: You know -
HAMMER: How many of those have you been part?
GELMAN: All of them, yes -
HAMMER: Every single one -
GELMAN: No, I think I`m talking to Guinness, but I think I may have a world record, just like Regis, you know, we pointed out that he had the most hours on TV.
HAMMER: Right.
GELMAN: I believe that I have the most hours producing "Live" TV, yes.
RIPA: This one is for Gelman.
HAMMER: These people have waited a long time to be in here, they`re big fans of the show, they finally get their chance and warming them up is a big part of your day, isn`t it?
GELMAN: Sure. In the old days, we went local, it was because we didn`t have the money to pay anyone. After a while, I became a character, people expected me to be out there.
And, you know, they come, they`ve been waiting a year, and when I come out, it`s like I`m the appetizer. Like, oh, my goodness, it`s Gelman.
Tonight is going to be good, what are you going to do?
HAMMER: Was there a master plan after Regis announced that he was leaving?
GELMAN: The master plan was to let it unfold organically. So, it`s going spectacularly. The ratings are good. We`re loving the different hosts with Kelly. I would say, you know, we`d like to get it done this year. How`s that?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Michael Strahan is reportedly a frontrunner for that much coveted vacant seat. So will he be the new Regis Philbin?
Well, the NFL star has co-hosted with Kelly no fewer than 10 times and they have serious chemistry. So could Strahan and Ripa be daytime`s new dynamic duo?
Strahan opened up his home to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner where she asked him about the possibility of getting Regis` old gig.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL STRAHAN, FMR. NFL PLAYER: I try not to think about it as replacing Regis. I don`t know if I can ever do that. And I think if you put it in that aspect, when you think about it, it`s too big.
So I just look at it as an opportunity to go on TV and tell stories and have fun and tame myself and other people and not look at the big magnitude and scope of it.
(CROSS TALK)
TURNER: But you get the sense it`s "the job" out there.
STRAHAN: Yes. And you and I sit here talking about (UNINTELLIGIBLE) country and where we come from. And I`m like, well, I grew up in the country. And then, I go to Germany and I came back to the States.
And I play football, then I play football. Fifteen great years and then I`m on Fox now. And all of a sudden, I had an opportunity for this. It blows my mind, too. I don`t get it. I`m just riding the wave.
I`m enjoying it. I ride the wave. I think this show fits my personality. I get along with Kelly great. I`m very hard to get along with pretty much anybody.
TURNER: You guys do have chemistry.
STRAHAN: I get along with her great. I love her. She`s really a sweetheart. And what you see on the show is what you get off the show, which is very much me. If you see me now, this is what you get.
I`m not trying to fool anybody and be something I`m not, because it`s too hard to live up to those things. And it`s a contrast.
Here I am, this big athlete guy. And here she is, athletic but this little woman. Just the two contrasts. But I think we relate in a lot of ways because of the kids and family and just, you know, life in general and how we move around and the things that happen to us.
TURNER: How does it feel though when you hear people say Michael Strahan is frontrunner for this job?
STRAHAN: I don`t think about it.
TURNER: No?
STRAHAN: No.
TURNER: Do you think you`re the frontrunner?
STRAHAN: I try not to picture myself as that.
TURNER: No?
STRAHAN: I don`t want to get my hopes up. I`ve never done that. Even when I was playing, I never did it. I never watched and go back and said, "I had a great year. Let me watch some film of my year."
No. I felt like once I started doing that, then I would go, "Yes, I am pretty good. I need people." Then you slack.
TURNER: Well, you`ve had people. I mean, a lot of people loved Neil Patrick Harris. And he came out and said, "This is a great gig. I love it, but I`m not going to do it. I live in L.A. I tape in L.A." You live in L.A. You tape in L.A.
STRAHAN: I tape one day a week in L.A. I tape one day a week during the football season on Sundays. So for me -
TURNER: So you could do both?
STRAHAN: I could do both, yes, because to me, it`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(CROSS TALK)
TURNER: Would you do both?
STRAHAN: Of course, I`d do both. I`d do both in a heartbeat. I like to work. I love to work. I love to work doing work that I like.
So for me, it would be Monday through Friday, New York, and then I`d come out here and do a show - NFL show on Sunday. And then I go back and do the next show again. It would definitely work.
TURNER: What I read today was sources say "Live with Kelly" officials are getting close to nailing down a deal with Michael Strahan.
STRAHAN: I hope so. You read something Michael Strahan didn`t read, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) so.
TURNER: So if they offered you the gig, you`d be like, "New York City."
STRAHAN: If they offered me the gig, I`d be in New York before the ink dries, of course.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is joining me now from Hollywood. So Nischelle, Michael, I think, has a different tone from the other guest co-hosts that we`ve heard from.
TURNER: yes.
HAMMER: Unequivocally, he says he wants the job, but did Michael actually give you any sense that something is currently in the works for it?
TURNER: And you know, I asked him that, A.J., and he talked to me about timing. And he talked about how Kelly`s deal took about a year.
Now, Michael says he is hearing what we are all hearing at this point, that they are going through a process. Now, Michael also says that he does not feel any pressure. He is just going with the flow.
But if they want him to take the job, he is all there. So, hey, Kelly, I love this guy. Let`s make this happen, please.
HAMMER: I think he would be a great candidate. I think there`s some other great candidates as well. It`s going to be very interesting to see how it all plays out. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner - thanks, Nischelle.
And on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ on location I have for you an all-access pass to show you the magic of "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) OK. So here I am. I`m in the backstage at "The Talk" about to go on live television throughout the country. It`s very exciting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
It is the cha fest that`s the darling of daytime and I am revealing exactly how they get their amazing show on the air every day.
Plus, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT goes behind the scenes of the soap classic, "General Hospital" revealing the secrets of the show`s five decades of incredible success. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, SHOWBIZ on location. It is 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 set at "The Chew." You know the show is kind of like "The View" meets "Top Chef," a truly delicious combination.
So what is the secret recipe that`s cooking up the show`s instant success? And do the hosts really get along as well as it seems they do?
Co-hosts Clinton Kelly, Michael Symon, 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 SYMON, 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.
SYMON: 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.
SYMON: 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.
SYMON: 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)
Yes, Gordon Elliott just hates being on television. Such a good group of guys over there at the "The Chew."
And now, we move on from "The Chew" over to "The Talk." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location with the ladies of daytime TV, the incredible at "The Talk."
I`m backstage, I`m on stage, everywhere in between, and I am bringing you an exclusive inside look at "The Talk."
Plus, the real deal -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: The first time I watched this show, I said this is the craziest show I have ever seen in my life.
WAYNE BRADY, HOST, "LET`S MAKE A DEAL": I say that every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ is also taking you behind the scenes of Wayne Brady`s "Let`s Make a Deal." Wayne revealing all about the secrets of TV`s wildest game show. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on site at Mike Tyson`s Vegas one-man show. He tells SHOWBIZ why he has had a troubled past.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE TYSON, FORMER BOXING CHAMPION: I was never at peace with myself. I was never comfortable in my skin, you know, because of the things I had seen as a kid.
And I grew up in a wild and dysfunctional household. And that`s all I`m seeing, violence, dysfunction and murder and all that stuff, and this is really a big burden to handle. I really didn`t like myself because of the things I had seen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRADY: It is like being married with none of the fun. Yes. You just - you scared the hell out of me. I love you - what`s that!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is Wayne Brady on the set of "Let`s Make a Deal," TV`s wildest game show. You really never know what kind of deal Wayne is going to offer or how it`s going to turn out.
But I can tell you it is fascinating to watch. It is "SHOWBIZ on location." Now, we go behind the scenes at "Let`s Make a Deal," hosted by the great Wayne Brady.
Is there anything this guy can`t do? He is a comedian. He`s an actor, a singer, a dancer and now, of course, he is the ring master in this latest reincarnation of the classic game show.
Wayne thinks that all of his talents have led him to this great deal. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is on location with Wayne Brady at his L.A. home talking deals, daytime and behind-the-scenes game show drama.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Here`s the real deal about "Let`s Make a Deal." SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this wild and sometimes unpredictable show, which has been on and off the air for decades, is making a big splash.
WAYNE BRADY, HOST, "LET`S MAKE A DEAL": I think now people recognize the fact that the show is actually a show.
TURNER: Brady, who served as host for three seasons, comes from an acting background. Audiences may remember his off-the-cuff, unscripted and improvisational work on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
The deal-making host recently invited SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to his Los Angeles home and told us how he found himself wheeling and dealing with the contestants.
BRADY: I`m not a game show host. I`m an actor who is an improvisational cat and fun and musical and whatnot. So I don`t go into the role going, "All right. Welcome to `Let`s Make a Deal." I`m like, "I am just going to be me."
TURNER (on camera): But that improv background had to be like - helped you so much in this role?
BRADY: Oh, well, that`s why they knocked on my door, you know, because I don`t think they wanted just a host. I`m right in the middle of this cacophony of madness.
Banana - I want a banana.
TURNER: Madness, sometimes downright bananas, as hopeful audience members come dressed up in some eye-popping costumes.
BRADY: Whoopee cushion. Whoopee cushion.
TURNER: Are those the costumes - you get those costumes a lot where you`re like, "Can`t show that."
BRADY: Every day.
TURNER: Too much.
BRADY: Oh, yes.
TURNER: Too risky.
BRADY: You should have pants on, on the show. Next. Curtain one.
TURNER: First time I watched this show, I said, this is the craziest show I have ever seen in my life.
BRADY: I say that every day. I say that as I am in the middle of it. If you ever look at my eyes, really - I`m just going, "Oh, my gosh." But it`s fun.
I`m taking the curtain.
TURNER (voice-over): It`s not fun for everyone as many wide-eyed contestants end up on the wrong side of a deal and go home with some absurd prizes.
BRADY: It is a monster van. It has wheels.
TURNER (on camera): Do you ever cringe or feel for people when they give all their money and they get like the rubber ducky?
BRADY: This is going to sound cold, but as a rule, no. And I`ll tell you why - because it is a game. So when someone gives up something, I`m saying, "This is in your face." I know, Wayne. That could be a car.
And then we open it up. There is a rubber donkey battling with Godzilla in mud. I have to go, "Hey, enjoy."
Congratulations.
TURNER (voice-over): It`s those enjoyable moments Brady tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that caught the attention of viewers.
BRADY: If you tune in to any random time, you will see something happening where we`re breaking piggy banks, cash being spilled out of that. There`s an ape over here.
All you know is that it is good and there is nothing like it in daytime.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And that`s Wayne Brady hanging out there with all those characters. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is joining me right now from Hollywood.
Nischelle, Wayne obviously such a talented guy. It has to have been a lot of fun spending some time at his home with him.
TURNER: A.J., it felt like I was sitting in the audience at a comedy show and just cracking up, laughing, because that`s how I felt. He is such a funny guy.
He really was putting on a show. But you know, the thing that I found the coolest thing about him? He loves to be a dad, and he`s got this great - you know, we all had a tree house or wanted a tree house when we were little.
But his daughter has a huge mini mansion outside of their front house. It is so cute, and he loves to play with his daughter.
HAMMER: That`s what you get if Wayne`s your dad. All right, Nischelle. Thanks so much.
Now, the SHOWBIZ lineup at the bottom of the hour on the special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ on location - Lady Antebellum unplugged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) I am just fascinated and blown away by the fact, not once, but twice, American Idol judges just turned you down. You didn`t get anywhere in the competition. First of all, when that did happen were you devastated?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
We are on location with multiple Grammy Award winning country trio and they`re coming clean about that "American Idol" confession.
And talking it up with the ladies of "The Talk." I`m on the set with the brand-new darlings of daytime and they`re sharing their secret plan for total TV domination with me. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on location at the premiere of "Madea Witness Protection." We caught up with one of the film`s stars, Tom Arnold, who revealed why he loves Tyler Perry as Madea so much.
TOM ARNOLD, ACTOR: So he set up a shot downstairs, going to the 25th floor of the building. He sets off a shot downstairs with the second group, goes and gets his makeup on. He takes a peek of the shot they`re about to do. He is about to do a shot as Madea, right? It is wrong.
So he has to go down the elevator as Madea, go on the street where there are 300 people following him around at all times and kick butt with the crew that has got to tell him they did it wrong in his voice.
I have a lot of humanity for somebody that has to go through that. It made me love him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ on location with secrets from behind the scenes of "General Hospital." Almost 15 years of the heart-pounding drama. So what is the secret to this iconic soap`s success? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location on the set of "General Hospital."
And it`s the talk of the town. I go one-on-one and behind the scenes of the daytime chat-fest, "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) So here I am, backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It is very exciting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Very exciting. I am backstage with the daytime`s hottest ensemble and I am getting the ladies to reveal why they think everyone is talking about "The Talk."
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. Tonight, SHOWBIZ on location with the secrets of "The Talk" revealed. So if you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the growing daytime hit, well, I had a great pleasure of being a guest on "The Talk."
I caught up with the show`s hosts the morning after the Daytime Emmy Awards, why I am wearing my tux here. But what really goes into being a guest on a talk show?
Right now, I have a rare look at how it all comes together at "The Talk" and how I prepared for my appearance from the producers, to the crew, to the audience and of course the lovely, lovely co-hosts. You get to see it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) All right. We`re here at "The Talk." I don`t put my tuxedo on during the day for anybody, you know. They promised me that they were going to be wearing their gowns, which is why I`m wearing my tux.
If they`re not wearing their gowns, I`m going to be really ticked off. I won`t be really ticked off. I think they`re going to have me clean up and serve some food while I`m here.
GLENN MEEHAN, SUPERVISING PRODUCER, "THE TALK": A.J., just so you know - just take a look at the intro. First of all, we`re going to bump into the whole segment. You`re going to be in the B block. You`re bumping into the ladies on the stage.
HAMMER: OK.
MEEHAN: So it works right into your Barbara Walters clip. So here`s the intro. I`d like you to see it so you have everything in there that makes you happy.
HAMMER: I`ll tee up the tape (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MEEHAN: Yes.
HAMMER: We`ll react to the tape, and they`ll set me up to bring in the next guest.
MEEHAN: Do you want a card?
HAMMER: No, because it sounds like they`re - even though I`m tossing to the clips, they`re going to be moving it along.
MEEHAN: Yes. Yes, exactly, don`t worry about it. I`ll talk to you a bit before they do the pre-shots. So I`m going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You`re going to get to the table.
HAMMER: And they are in their gowns? I`m checking again.
MEEHAN: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: OK. Just so you know, this is - I`m wearing a tux.
MEEHAN: He always wears it, always. Every time I see you. Do you need makeup?
HAMMER: I`ll probably just a touchup before I go on, but I`m ready.
MEEHAN: All right. You`re ready? We`ll let you know.
HAMMER: All right.
MEEHAN: I`ll see you in a bit.
HAMMER: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Did you see that? It looks like I have been here a long time, like I have been part of the show forever. Everything seems to be coming together. I think this is going to work.
OK, so here I am. I`m backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It`s very exciting. I`m made up. I`m miked up.
I`m wearing my tux because I was promised the ladies of "The Talk" are actually wearing their gowns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome A.J. Hammer to the stage, everybody. Hello, A.J. Here we go. We`re back. We`re live. Applause!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SHARON OSBOURNE, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Having a little bit of fun with the ladies at "The View." Anchor and host of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN, A.J. Hammer.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OSBOURNE: Now, A.J., you have covered every aspect of the show - red carpet, backstage, the awards, everything.
HAMMER: And it was spectacular. And I have to believe when you guys went up on stage -
OSBOURNE: But people get us confused with another show all the time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So ladies, let`s introduce ourselves. I`m Barbara Walters.
OSBOURNE: I`m Sherri Shepherd.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m Joy Behar.
HAMMER: Perhaps in the back of your minds, you were wondering, well, this is fun. But I wonder what Barbara Walters thinks of all this.
It has to have been running through your minds, I know. Well, it just so happens I exclusive asked her for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(on camera) I must get your very first reaction to your colleagues from "The Talk" getting on stage and introducing themselves.
WALTERS: You know what? I thought they couldn`t have been more generous or adorable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a class act, a class move, absolutely.
HAMMER: And it was all in good fun.
OSBOURNE: And much respect to Barbara Walters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of time at the award shows, you`ve heard a lot of acceptance speeches. Was there any that stood out for you on the night?
HAMMER: Tony Geary who, of course, plays Luke on "General Hospital" for over 30 years. And it was so touching to see despite the fact that he`s played this and he is the winningest actor in all of daytime TV, he was so humble to have accepted this award.
And it was great. I spoke with him backstage as well and he was practically crying. It really - it meant to world to him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, A.J. I`ve got to ask you, is it true that a daytime diva slapped you?
HAMMER: You know, when you`re on the red carpet, you have to be careful what you say to people, Sheryl. I don`t know, apparently, I said the wrong thing to really the grand dame of night, Susan Lucci.
And if you actually hit me, it actually would be a badge of honor for me.
SUSAN LUCCI, ACTRESS: Oh, no way I am hitting you.
HAMMER: Give it a whirl. Come on. Let`s go. Here we go.
LUCCI: You!
HAMMER: Pretty good. Do I get the Emmy nomination?
LUCCI: Oh, you get the trophy.
OSBOURNE: A.J., thank you so much for joining us. It`s always a pleasure. You can watch A.J.`s exclusive backstage coverage of the Daytime Emmy Awards tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 11:00 on HLN. We`ll be right back. Don`t go away.
HAMMER: That was fun. I`ve got to get back over to the HLN headquarters here in Hollywood to do our show. That went pretty well, right? It seemed to have gone pretty well. But I love the ladies of "The Talk." I can`t wait to see them again.
All right. So we`re wrapping it up. I`ve got to get back to the show. I think it went pretty well here, but I wonder what the ladies think of me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was awesome. I mean, I was just - you know, telling somebody else who was here when a guest comes on that fits in with us, it`s so obvious because there`s just a rhythm. No one is stepping on each other`s words or anything like that.
OSBOURNE: He`s such a professional, so easy. It just flowed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Smooth.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Handsome fellow.
OSBOURNE: It does help.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes lord. And he looks good in his tux, and I think we should take him everywhere we go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: What are they possibly talking about? So humbling to hear them all say that. So much fun to spend some time with the ladies of "The Talk." And it was great being a guest for a change. I like doing that.
And I want to thank all the hosts, everybody over at the show for making me and our entire SHOWBIZ TONIGHT crew feel so welcome. The whole gang there at the show, really, really amazing. Make sure you check out "The Talk" every week day on CBS.
Well, tonight we have soap secrets. At a time when daytime drama fans have seen some of their shows come to an end, the classic soap, "General Hospital" is still going strong after nearly 50 years.
So why are fans still gripped by that fantasy trip to Port Charles every weekday afternoon? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner goes on location to the set of the soap "General Hospital" and learns the secrets of the show`s success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just pretend we are not here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get out.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A little comedy, a little romance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You took them both away from me.
TURNER: And a whole lot of drama. It is the classic recipe that`s been cooking for nearly 50 years, Monday through Friday afternoons on TV`s "General Hospital."
FINOLA HUGHES, ACTRESS, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": The longevity of the show has been because of the characters written and the fact that people really feel like they know us and they want to spend their afternoon with us.
TURNER: Finola Hughes is a familiar face to long-time fans of "General Hospital." She first showed up to the fictional town of port Charles back in 1985. She left the soap scene for many years but was lured back five months ago by the show`s new executive producer, Frank Valentini.
HUGHES: He is on the side of the actors. He stays out here with us, to make sure that everything is real and entertaining and truthful.
TURNER: Valentini himself moved over from "One life to Live" when that show came to an end in January. He has brought allowing some crossover characters, brought back some favorites and added some fresh faces. It`s all part of Valentini`s strategy to keep "General Hospital" thriving with fans and appealing to a new audience.
FRANK VALENTINI, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": Not only does it need to be entertaining, but it also needs to be relevant. It needs to be part of everyone`s life in 2012.
So keeping the show contemporary in terms of music and the way it sounds, the way it feels, the way it looks is something that is very important to me and I think we have been able to do that.
TURNER: The "General Hospital" production schedule is demanding. In today`s budget-conscious climate, the cast and crew of 300 shoot about 80- pages of dialogue a day. Compare that to some primetime dramas that shoot about 10. There is little time for retakes so the cast shows up ready to roll.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s no room for someone that cannot take the pace, the speed. You have to be on your game.
TURNER: "General Hospital" vet, Nancy Lee Grahn has been on the show for 16 seasons, one new aspect of her role, audience outreach on Twitter.
NANCY LEE GRAHN, "GENERAL HOSPITAL" VETERAN: These are the most loyal fans on television ever and they have been watching it generationally.
TURNER: The "General Hospital" team attributes much of its success the past five decades to its loyal fan base. As for the future of this classic soap, one of the show`s youngest stars sums up the continued appeal of "General Hospital" this way.
KRISTEN ALDERSON, ACTRESS, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": I think that soaps deal with every day issues. Sometimes they are a little built up, you know, under extreme circumstances, but at the same time, if you talk to anyone, everyone has a soap opera story in their life and they can relate to it in some way.
TURNER: And don`t we all love a little drama in our lives?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Oh, yes, Nischelle, we certainly do. And former real housewife Bethenny Frankel - well, she certainly knows a thing or two about drama and now about daytime. I go on location with Bethenny Frankel and the set of her new talk show. How is it different?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETHENNY FRANKEL, TALK SHOW HOST: You are looking at TV and not seeing anything talking about anything edgy or what seems to be taboo. All the things we are talking about really are what women talk about with their girlfriend.
HAMMER: She is a brand-new face on daytime TV, but how did she get there? What is the story about how Ellen DeGeneres became her new boss? I`m on location with Bethenny Frankel.
And the fantastic Lady Antebellum`s surprising connection to "American Idol." So can you guess which of the Grammy-winning trio actually auditioned for the show twice? I get them to talk about their "Idol" experience next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, SHOWBIZ on location at the premier of "The Amazing Spiderman." "Spiderman" star, Andrew Garfield, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, why loving Spiderman as a child, made it so much harder for him to play this role.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW GARFIELD, ACTOR: It makes it harder in a way because you understand how important it is to so many millions of people, so it actually adds a dimension of pressure and a dimension of responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
I`m not feeling so well today. I woke up a little under the weather, and I think maybe I have Bieber fever!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: reality show star turned talk show host, Bethenny Frankel, is busting a new move on daytime. And I caught up with her on the set of her very own talk show.
Tonight, Bethenny revealed. SHOWBIZ is on location with reality star turned talk show host, Bethenny Frankel. That`s right. She is an entrepreneur, a mom, a wife, a reality star and now, she is one of the new faces of daytime talk.
I caught up with Bethenny on the set of her new talk show which happens to be on the same set as "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." And Bethenny revealed how Ellen became her new boss and why she thinks her show will truly change the face of daytime.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) Look at what`s going on here. The studio audience -
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HAMMER: How is it going?
FRANKEL: It`s pretty incredible. It`s exciting. I am blessed. I`m thrilled and I`m having a great time.
(MUSIC)
My daughter is two and she thinks she has it figured out, OK? We`re back. We are talking about attachment parenting. It really seems like it`s working out because we`re able to all just kind of have a conversation that seems like women really want to be having it.
And you know, you`re looking at TV and you are not seeing anyone really talking about anything edgy or what seems to be taboo. All the things they are talking about really are just want women talk about when they`re out with their girlfriends.
HAMMER: I think the one thing we`ve learned about you, Bethenny, over time is you`ve got a lot to say.
FRANKEL: I`ve got a lot to say and I like to listen just as much as I like to talk, so it`s actually working out well. I want to hear what all of you think and feel and are going through.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": That`s cute right there.
FRANKEL: It`s adorable.
HAMMER: Tell me about how Ellen came to be a part of this equation. How did she come to be the executive producer of this show? And here you are in her set.
FRANKEL: Well, to be honest with you. I was talking to the company who produces her show and I was talking to a couple other companies and it kept talking to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
I kept talking to them and kept saying, "What we they going to do?" And I finally said, "If you want to sleep with me, you`ve got to put a ring on my finger." And that day - right? That day -
HAMMER: Everything worked out.
FRANKEL: Yes. And I said it would be really great if Ellen kind of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) me, would kind of stamp me. She literally said, "I know you are talking with Telepictures. I would love to produce a talk show with you." And it was the most flattering thing because she -
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HAMMER: What went through your mind and what did you say? Was it like, "Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED)"?
FRANKEL: Yes. On "Saturday Night Live," there used to be a thing called, "Oops, I crapped my pants."
HAMMER: It sounds exactly what happened.
FRANKEL: That was me. Oops, I crapped my pants. Ellen wants to do a talk show with me.
HAMMER: You have been on this wild ride, a huge list of accomplishments. All that you are involved with, including your Bethenny.com Web site. You have, of course, the Skinnygirl Cocktails, the Skinnygirl Daily product line, featuring on-the-go bars, daily vitamin power packets, daily cleanse and restore - very important - daily weight management and energy.
You have your workout and exercise DVDs. You just published "Skinny Dipping," your latest novel. And you`re the author of self-help, diet and recipe books.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OK. I don`t know about you guys. Listening to this, I`m exhausted reading the list.
FRANKEL: I`m exhausted - I know.
HAMMER: How do you balance that? You are also a mother. You also have a husband. How in the world do you get enough rest and really balance it? What is the trick for you?
FRANKEL: I wouldn`t say at this particular moment it`s all entirely balanced. I have an assistant and I have people that help me do certain things.
It is a lot and I do make myself get into that bed by 11:00. And I get up with my baby at 7:00. But when I`m with her in the morning, just taking - you know, taking a bath with her at night or feeding her in the morning, it kind of fills up your tank.
I make date night with my husband. I`ll go - as soon as I can get three days in a row, I`ll go away. It`s not easy, but this is such a chance of a lifetime that we all decided to make it work.
FRANKEL: Did you eat a lot when you were pregnant?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hell yes. See, I got down.
HAMMER: Congratulations on being one of the newest faces of daytime television.
FRANKEL: Thank you. Thank you.
HAMMER: Thank you so much.
FRANKEL: That was a great interview. Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the studio audience. So much fun talking with Bethenny and she really does seem to be such a natural at that gig. You can catch her brand-new talk show called "Bethenny" every day. Just check your local listings.
SHOWBIZ on location continues now with Lady Antebellum. Did you know one member of the band actually tried out for "American Idol"?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) Hillary, I am still just fascinated and blown away by the fact that, not once, but twice, "American Idol" judges just turned you down. You didn`t get anywhere in the competition. First of all, when that did happen were you devastated?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
I am on location with country superstar trio, Lady Antebellum. OK. So Hillary Scott obviously didn`t make the cut on "American Idol." But would she ever consider judging on the show? Would the guys ever do it? Their answers are coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, "SHOWBIZ on location" with daytime talk show host, Wendy Williams. She reveals to me why she keeps half of her closet right there in her office.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) Now a lot of people, particularly of your stature, hosting a nationally syndicated television show, 500 episodes in would have a separate dressing room for all their clothes.
WENDY WILLIAMS, HOST, "THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW": Right.
HAMMER: So I imagine there is a reason you have this here as opposed to another room.
WILLIAMS: Yes. Well, there are actually two other rooms that the clothes and shoes and stuff are off in. But I love to have some of my clothes around me.
HAMMER: To be surrounded by it.
WILLIAMS: For inspiration. And maybe once a week, what they will do is they will come and swap out these dresses and things and put more in. So that as I am sitting and watching TV or whatever I am doing in here, I can say, "You know what? I still haven`t tried this on. I wonder if this is so good."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Just one of so many hits by the great Lady Antebellum. One of our directors, Charles Wegman`s favorites. The country music superstars are so talented, really grounded.
And I went one-on-one with the band to talk about their music and maybe a future for them as judges on reality singing competitions.
Tonight, Lady Antebellum unplugged. Would you believe one member of the multiple Grammy Award-winning country trio actually auditioned for "American Idol" and got turned away? What are they, crazy?
Hillary Scott, Charles Kelly and Dave Haywood have since performed on "Idol." They even performed on the show, "The Voice." And that got me thinking, would any of them possibly consider judging a reality singing competition? Well I found out that answer when I went on location with Lady Antebellum.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
(on camera) Obviously, you embrace the music competition shows. You`re about to do "The Voice." Would you guys ever entertain the idea of being judges or mentors on a show like one of those? If your schedule allowed, obviously, which would be tough.
CHARLES KELLEY, BAND MEMBER, LADY ANTEBELLUM: I think for us, we`ve always kind of said we always just want to keep it about the band and just our music.
And I think for us, I don`t know if we`d ever - we`ve talked about that a couple of times. I think we`d always just want to kind of keep doing what we are doing as long as we can, you know.
HILLARY SCOTT, BAND MEMBER, LADY ANTEBELLUM: I think the mentoring thing for, like, an episode or something would be really cool. But I don`t think - nothing could pull us away from touring right now, honestly.
HAMMER: Hillary, I am still just fascinated and blown away by the fact that, not once, but twice "American Idol" judges just turned you down. You didn`t get anywhere in the competition. First of all, when that did happen, were you devastated?
SCOTT: I think I remember shedding a few tears, just knowing that I hadn`t performed at my best because I was so nervous. I mean, I had never done any kind of audition like that before.
And so if anybody has gone and auditioned, it`s a lot of pressure. There are thousands and thousands of people in line to try to make it down to what will be a final 12, you know?
It`s really - it`s nerve-racking. But honestly, I would go back and do it again in a heartbeat, you know. I have no regrets.
HAMMER: And by the way, when you did play "American Idol," did a producer pull you aside and say, "Wow, we really screwed up"?
SCOTT: You know what? I don`t have any hard feelings, and truthfully, it was pretty validating, standing up there.
HAMMER: Obviously, the best thing, the hidden sort of thing here was maybe it was one of the best things that probably happened to you, because this probably wouldn`t exist.
SCOTT: Definitely. It wasn`t that long after, and I had a development deal on another label in Nashville as a solo artist and did a showcase and was all excited and hyped up about it and thought that I, you know, was going to get this record deal.
And then they said no and they passed. And it was the biggest, most heartbreaking career moment of my life at that point. And literally - that was in March of 2006. I met Charles and Dave in May of 2006. So when God shuts a door, he opens a window.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I must say I had such a good time talking to those guys. A here`s a fun little factoid for you. Actress Katherine Heigl is married to Charles Kelley`s older brother, the singer Josh Kelley. I think that`s pretty cool.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And HLN continues right now.
END
