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Showbiz Tonight
When Sharks and Alligators Attack; Who Should Date Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes?; An Open Letter to Kim Kardashian; Britney Doing a Simon?
Aired July 12, 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: When sharks attack. When gators grab hold. Tonight, extraordinary brand-new stories of survival from people who stared down sharks and alligators.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer. Matchmaker, matchmaker, make us a match for Tom and Katie. Yes. Who should Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes be dating next now that they`re done? Got any ideas?
Well, we do. But first, don`t mess with Tom. Now, we`re not talking about Katie. She`s already done that. But we`re talking about a tabloid that could be gearing up for war with him over stories about what may have led to his divorce. And today, Tom struck back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) It`s a fact known throughout Hollywood, mess with Tom Cruise, and this is what happens. OK, Cruise doesn`t go around beating up people like his violent character in the upcoming "Jack Reacher" movie, but the famous actor is never afraid to kick some legal butt.
Cruise`s latest target, the "National Enquirer" for its issue that includes claims about how he treated his soon-to-be ex-wife, Katie Holmes.
SOPHIE SCHILLACI, WRITER, "THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER": The "National Enquirer" printed a cover story with a big headline that said "Tom`s House of Horrors" and it`s a photo of his Beverley Hills home.
HAMMER: Sophie Schillaci of "The Hollywood Reporter" tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Cruise has sicked his attorneys against "The Enquirer" for suggesting Katie Holmes left Cruise because he was a, quote, "monster" who kept Katie a virtual prisoner in his Beverly Hills mansion.
SCHILLACI: It makes allegations that Katie Holmes had a horrible life with him and that Suri was kept locked in a windowless room for five months, away from the world.
HAMMER: "The Hollywood Reporter" obtained this cease-and-desist letter Cruise`s attorney sent to the "Enquirer`s" publisher.
SCHILLACI: It`s a scathing letter.
HAMMER: Cruise`s attorney writes that the actor`s home is, quote, "a gracious and loving family home and not the house of horrors portrayed in the article."
The letter adds, quote, "Mr. Cruise has not engaged in any abuse or humiliation of Katie Holmes. And countering the "Enquirer" article, it says, quote, "Mr. Cruise is certainly not a monster. He`s a caring father, a hard-working actor, and above all, an honest, decent man."
SCHILLACI: His lawyers have fired back. They`re saying, you know, if you don`t print another issue that is retracting all of these statements with the same emphasis and the same tone, then they`re threatening to litigate.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: If you`re smart, that scares you.
HAMMER: "The Enquirer" should be scared because Tom has not been shy about taking the media to court in the past. In 1998, Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman successfully sued a British tabloid that called their marriage a sham.
In 2001 Tom Cruise sued and won a retraction from a magazine publisher that falsely claimed to have a sex tape of Cruise with another man.
And in 2003, Tom Cruise won another suit against a gay porn actor who told a magazine he had an affair with Cruise.
SCHILLACI: His lawyers have always been very involved in his career and his image.
HAMMER: In last month`s issue of "Playboy," Tom Cruise made it clear he`s not afraid to take on anyone who spreads false stories about him, saying, "If I have to, I will sue. You start with a letter saying, `OK, you know it`s not true.` Apologize. But with certain ones you have to go, `OK, you crossed a line, and now you have the attention of my lawyers.`"
SCHILLACI: Apparently, he`s not afraid to go back into court when it comes to defending his name.
HAMMER: Ironically Cruise made headlines earlier this week for actually avoiding a major court fight by quickly settling divorce terms with Katie Holmes.
But "The Hollywood Reporter`s" Sophie Schillaci tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with much of the media speculating about why Katie left Cruise, Cruise and his lawyers are being extra vigilant about what`s said about him.
SCHILLACI: He needs to be super-cautious right now with all of this and making sure that he doesn`t turn into the bad guy in the situation.
HAMMER: But Cruise has no problem playing the bad guy against a tabloid that crosses him. And like his character in "Mission Impossible" -
CRUISE: You`ve never seen me very upset.
HAMMER: When Tom Cruise gets upset, things get explosive.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out today to both Tom Cruise and his attorney and the "National Enquirer." As of show time, they didn`t get back to us.
And while Tom is fighting the battle to put a lid on what he claims are untrue stories about his marriage to Katie, well, she is determined, very apparently, to get a very fresh start, career, family, and fun. Tonight, SHOWBIZ takes you inside Katie`s new life.
I`m happy to bring in TV and radio host, Michael Billy and the always delightful actress, singer and activist, Sheryl Lee Ralph, the author of this fine book, "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl." Great to have you both here.
So look at this. We`re seeing this all new, outgoing Katie Holmes. She really seems to be enjoying life in New York City. I want to take you to the SHOWBIZ news line right now.
July 2nd, she was back at work right away. She was taping "Project Runway." On July 5th, having some fun with Suri at the Children`s Museum in Manhattan. That`s right in my neighborhood, by the way. But I didn`t see them. I was out of town.
On July 8th, they were doing some supermarket shopping at Whole Foods. Suri was along. Got to buy the food. Just yesterday, July 11th, they were at the central park zoo. It was Suri and mom hanging together, enjoying the animals there.
Now, Katie knows full well the paparazzi will follow her wherever she goes. I mean, just look at the video. It is remarkable how open she`s being to me, though, Sheryl.
It seems like Katie setting a very powerful and intentional message that she is getting a fresh start.
SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS AND AUTHOR: Baby, I`m glad that she can, because I`ve got to tell you, when I was going through my divorce, I could hardly tell water from vodka. It was a very difficult time.
So I`m so pleased that she is able to put this wonderful face on and get on with her life. How they did this divorce so quickly is beyond me, but God bless them.
HAMMER: And this has to be intentional, right, Michael? I mean, she could lay low, but she knows she steps out the door, the cameras are going to there and it`s going to be splashed everywhere.
MICHAEL BILLY, TV AND RADIO HOST: She has a big statement to make.
RALPH: Yes.
BILLY: Her career has been in a lock box for a very long time. Professionally, she`s got to state to everybody she`s here. She`s here to work. She`s vibrant. She`s happy. She`s never looked better. Her independence is so incredibly important, not to her personally only, but her career.
RALPH: And her daughter.
BILLY: Absolutely. And her daughter.
HAMMER: Good for her. And quite frankly, I`d like to see Tom start doing the same thing. I think everybody would like to see that he`s doing well and that he`s flourishing because I think he was blindsided by this whole thing.
But as Katie starts this new life of hers, I`ve got to ask the question that`s on everybody`s mind - what about Suri? Now, we`ve seen them at the museum and at the zoo, getting ice cream.
Sheryl, as a mom who has been through divorce, you know what this is like. How important is it - I have to imagine very important - for Suri to see things as being as normal as possible?
RALPH: Absolutely. Civility, civility, civility. You have to keep on talking with each other. Children have to continue to see love and good vibes going on between their parents.
Because when kids feeling uncomfortable, oh, no matter what, divorce is going to scar them for the rest of their lives. No matter how nice you are, it`s still a very difficult thing for your children.
HAMMER: Yes. Very difficult, and especially in terms of what they`re dealing with in the public eye, Michael, very dramatic.
So there`s a part of me that feels like maybe not such a great thing to be constantly subjecting Suri to the paparazzi like this. What do you think about this?
BILLY: I mean, look, how much choice do they have, you know, subjecting poor Suri? I mean, Suri has the right to go out there and be a nice little young girl and enjoy life, enjoy New York City with her mom.
Some people say this fast divorce was professional. It might have been on a personal basis, I mean, looking out for the well-being of Suri. I`d like to believe that.
HAMMER: I`d like to believe that, too.
RALPH: That`s interesting because we don`t see his other children.
HAMMER: No, we don`t.
RALPH: You know, he`s got the others. We don`t see them at all.
HAMMER: But we wish them the best and Tom the best, quite frankly.
BILLY: Yes.
HAMMER: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Michael Billy, always great to have you both here.
RALPH: Thank you.
HAMMER: So will Katie`s new life include an old flame? Ponder this. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT plays matchmaker. Tonight, how about her getting back together with her former love, Chris Klein?
You remember they were together before Tom. And we`re not forgetting about Tom, of course. He needs another actress on his arm pronto, right? What about Renee Zellweger. Good match there? The great debate is coming up.
Also ahead, shark attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)! Oh, jesus christ. It`s all mine. It`s all mine. (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s a shark!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a shark!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Whoa! These days you are not even safe from sharks on dry land. Sharks, alligators - we`re under siege and everybody is talking about it. We`re counting down the top five buzz-making stories of the day. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Rihanna gets ready to rock reality TV. So Rihanna is producing and starring on a new fashion reality show. Sadly, it`s only going to be seen in the U.K. The show is called "Style to Rock."
Panel style mavens including Rihanna`s own personal stylist, will judge young talent on the star style potential. And this is no vanity project. Rihanna is getting her hands dirty as a mentor to the contestants. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIHANNA, POP STAR: I`ve always loved. Fashion has helped shape me into the artist I am today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Designers get the opportunity to work with a different superstar every week.
RIHANNA: Everybody is fighting for the same thing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You are dope.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You will land the biggest gig in fashion.
RIHANNA: We`re the boos.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Style to Rock."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Even though we won`t see the show stateside, we might see the winning design. The champion will create a one-of-a-kind outfit for Rihanna to perform in.
And right now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is playing matchmaker for Tom and Katie.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Boy, I hope you`re ready, because, tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT plays matchmaker. Now, single again, we`re thinking, hey, it`s never too soon for Tom and Katie to leap back into the dating world.
But let`s face it, it`s reality when you`re a megasuperstar with the world watching your every move. You`ve got to imagine that finding love is not always easy, so we are stepping in and give it a little nudge to make the road easier to travel for these guys.
SHOWBIZ combed Hollywood, New York, everywhere in between to find out who we believe could make the perfect new match for Tom and for Katie. New love could soon be in the air. Can you feel it?
Let me bring in Sheryl lee Ralph. She`s back with us. She`s the author of this great book "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl."
And I`m so pleased to welcome Big Ang, breakout star of VH1`s hit reality series, "Mob Wives." She is now starring in her own self-titled VH1 show, "Big Ang," airing each Sunday night on VH1. Great to have you both here.
We have a lot of ground to cover here. Dating may not be top of mind right now for Tom or Katie. But let`s start with Katie, because we do have some great suggestions for when she`s ready.
The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff brainstormed today, and this may sound crazy, but what about getting her back together with her ex, "American Pie" actor, Chris Klein? Remember, they were engaged for two years before Tom came along.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: No?
BIG ANG, REALITY TV STAR: Never go backwards.
RALPH: Thank you. That`s all the time. Never go back. That`s right. Well, forward. I`m with Big Ang. I`m with Big Ang.
HAMMER: I`m not going to argue with Big Ang. I certainly won`t argue with you if you`re with Big Ang. Let me move on, because our next choice for Katie is Ashton Kutcher.
BIG ANG: Oh, absolutely.
RALPH: No.
HAMMER: Hold on a second. Wait a second.
BIG ANG: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) leftovers.
HAMMER: Listen. Listen, he knows what it`s like to be a high profile marriage.
RALPH: I don`t care.
HAMMER: He`s new to the single market. He has this thriving career. No?
BIG ANG: No.
RALPH: No.
HAMMER: Big paycheck.
RALPH: No.
BIG ANG: He`s somebody`s leftover. Done with him.
RALPH: Thank you. Next.
BIG ANG: Seconds. No seconds.
RALPH: This woman, she needs a fresh start.
BIG ANG: Yes, yes. Let`s see.
RALPH: No backwards and especially not a man who - well, never mind.
HAMMER: Can you say that in your Big Ang voice though?
BIG ANG: I say move on. We`re done with him.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: We`re done with him. Sorry about that, Ashton. Let me move on to our third Katie choice. This is our dark horse, but we think this could work.
Look at this guy - Joe Manganiello, a huge star from one of my favorite shows, "True Blood." He`s from the Midwest. He`s from Pittsburgh. Of course, you know that Katie is from Ohio. Big Ang`s reaction?
BIG ANG: Oh, definitely.
RALPH: We are on the same page with that. I actually met him a few times, and that is one handsome of hunk of man, and so sweet. You know how some guys figure out if they`re going to pay attention to you. He`s just nice from the moment he says hello.
HAMMER: And he`s an enormous guy.
RALPH: Tall and built. He`s got V sitting on two legs.
BIG ANG: I think he`s the one.
HAMMER: OK. He`s the one - check and check on both of you. So let`s move on now because we`ve got to play matchmaker for Tom Cruise, right?
Let`s have at it. The SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff had to ask would Renee Zellweger complete him? Huh, complete him? They were hot together in "Jerry Maguire." What do you think? Go ahead, Sheryl Lee.
RALPH: For me I`D say, Tom, on this one, let me help you help me help you.
HAMMER: Show me the date.
RALPH: Show me the date, Tom. She`s good to reflect on the past and when things were nice and wonderful. But to really get together with Renee, no.
My Tom, I love Tom Cruise. Just a break, vacation, fantasize in your head. No.
HAMMER: Hold on. We`re still playing matchmaker.
RALPH: No, not her.
BIG ANG: We`re done with her.
HAMMER: You guys didn`t love Ashton Kutcher for Katie, but how about Demi Moore for Tom? Fresh start for her. She loves a good-looking guy by her side and needs someone who can handle the stardom. They`re in similar stages in life.
BIG ANG: They look too much alike. They look too much alike.
HAMMER: No?
BIG ANG: No go.
RALPH: It`s just not good. Too many little things going around there that we might not know about. It wouldn`t be nice. Maybe a drink or two, but I don`t think Tom drinks, so no.
HAMMER: All right. Let me throw this one at you.
BIG ANG: Boring.
HAMMER: This is a dark horse. It may surprise you. I think we may be on to go. I think we may be on to something. Let me get this out there.
Take a look, Elin Nordegren, Tiger`s ex. Beautiful woman. She`s got kids. She went through a high-profile breakup. She is the quiet type, kind of like Katie was.
BIG ANG: She`s pretty.
HAMMER: Tom will still be the one in the spotlight.
RALPH: No, as somebody in the past would have said, H to the no, no, no. She`s wrong.
BIG ANG: I`d say stay alone.
RALPH: Fair.
HAMMER: But separate from that, you don`t like Elin?
BIG ANG: She is a beautiful woman.
RALPH: She is beautiful. I don`t like it. I don`t like the whole thing. The nanny turned girlfriend turned wife turned divorcee. I don`t like it. None of that.
RALPH: I love you, Big Ang. Look at us with the same lips.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: I thank you both. Sheryl Lee, Big Ang, it`s great to have you here. Make sure you catch Big Ang`s self-titled new series on VH1.
And now, got to move on. Imagine coming eye to eye with a terrifying shark. Now, imagine capturing it on tape and you get to live to tell this larger-than-life fish tale. Everybody is buzzing about this.
It`s a recent flurry of very dangerous underwater encounters including gators gone wild.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello.
911 OPERATOR: Yes, 911, what`s your emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, ma`am. A gator just got my friend. He`s in the water!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is simply incredible. It`s a teenager`s amazing survival story after losing his arm after battling an alligator.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you Troy Landry - he`s the star of the show, "Swamp People." He will reveal how secrets from that show saved the boy`s life.
But which death-defying story will snatch the number one spot on our top five buzz-makers list?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Whitney Houston made it legendary. Christina Aguilera famously botched it. I`m talking about performing the "Star-Spangled Banner."
It is a notoriously hard song to sing, but did you see this? A country star uses a cheat sheet to avoid a history-making blunder. Anything wrong with that?
Here`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with this coast-to-coast debate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LUKE BRYAN, SINGER (singing): O, say can you see...
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): So far so good. Country star Luke Bryan was singing the anthem at the all-star game. Right before he got to the "ramparts" part, he oh-so-subtly glanced at his hand.
BRYAN (singing): Through the perilous night.
MOOS: Some of Bryan`s fans suggested he was just looking at his watch so he`d be on time for the stealth-bomber flyby, but others suspected a star- spangled cheat sheet. As one sports commentator tweeted, "Luke Bryan sings the national anthem the way I used to take geometry tests."
(on camera) (singing) O, say, can you see the lyrics written on me?
(voice-over) Bryan definitely didn`t want to end up like Christina Aguilera at the Super Bowl, getting the words wrong. We`ve written the right ones on the screen.
GRAPHIC: O`er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.
CHRISTINA AGUILERA, SINGER (singing): O, so proudly we watched at the twilight`s last screaming.
MOOS: By the dawn`s early light, what was so gallantly streaming over Twitter, was Luke Bryan`s heartfelt and charming confession.
(voice-over) "I had a few key words written down to ensure myself that I wouldn`t mess up. I just wanted to do my best. I promise it was from the heart."
The last key words we remember written on someone`s hand were "energy," "tax cuts" and "lift American spirits" on Sarah Palin`s palm.
SARAH PALIN, FORMER VICE-PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We`ve got to start reigning in the spending. We have got to jump-start these energy projects.
MOOS: Luke Bryan had plenty of energy, and at least he didn`t come to a full stop like Michael Bolton.
MICHAEL BOLTON, SINGER (singing): The ramparts were watched - were so gallantly streaming.
MOOS: On the bright side, by looking at his hand, Michael Bolton got an extra 1.6 million views on YouTube.
ROSEANNE BARR, COMEDIAN (singing): Rocket`s red glare.
MOOS: Watching stars sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a little like watching a tightrope walker cross Niagara Falls. We wait for a stumble. Whatever you do, don`t look down.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes, I wouldn`t do that. That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. OK. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Kim Kardashian`s smack-down from her fake dad. This guy says she shouldn`t date Kanye. Plus, why Kim should actually cool it with her happily ever fantasy.
I`m telling you nothing is off limits in this brand-new open letter by a man it that calls himself Kim`s imaginary living father. He`s right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to explain.
It is one of the big buzz stories in the running for the top five countdown.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello.
911 OPERATOR: Yes, 911, what`s your emergency?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, ma`am. A gator just got my friend. He`s in the water.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT when gators attack. A teenager`s amazing survival story, how he lived through an alligator attack using moves he saw on "Swamp People."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has Troy Landry, the star of "Swamp People" right here to reveal how the secrets from the hit show saved that boy`s life.
Plus, when sharks attack. Imagine, you`re fishing off the dock, and this happens.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)! Oh, jesus christ. It`s all mine. It`s all mine. (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s a shark!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a shark!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The incredible caught-on-tape moment of the woman who wound up reeling in five-foot long, 200-pound shark. Her first catch ever. When sharks attack takes a bite out of our top five biggest buzz makers countdown.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. And tonight, when gators attack.
Tonight, the remarkable story of a teenager fighting off an alligator because of what he saw on the reality show, "Swamp People."
And in just a moment, I can`t wait to bring you this - SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is bringing you the star of "Swamp People" as we kick off tonight`s top five SHOWBIZ countdown of today`s big buzzy stories.
And the alligator attack tops the countdown at number five tonight. You`re about to hear this frightening 911 call just released this afternoon, a call made after 17-year-old Kaleb Langdale was doing what he always does on a hot summer day, swimming in the river.
Langdale was swimming by his home in Moore Haven, Florida when all of a sudden, a 10-foot alligator attacked. The teen says he fought back with moves he says he learned from watching the TV show "Swamp People" on History.
The gator bit off part of his arm, but he did manage to get away. Kaleb`s friend frantically called 911. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello.
911 OPERATOR: Yes, 911 what`s your emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, ma`am. A gator just got my friend in the water.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Well, with me in New York is Jay Peterson, he`s the producer of History`s "Swamp People." Joining me by phone from Pierre Part, Louisiana, alligator hunter, Troy Landry, who is one of the stars of "Swamp People."
Coincidentally, the season finale of the show tonight on History. So, Kaleb Langdale fights off this alligator. He saves his own life. Watch him describe what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KALEB LANGDALE, ALLIGATOR BITE VICTIM: When I was swimming, I moved my arms back and forth. This one - he got it. He did another death roll and broke all the bones and everything in it.
I just felt it`s gone. Well, he started to pull me down, and I knew it`s either I`ve got to lose this arm or I`m going to die.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Troy Landry, let me start with you. You`re used to this kind of action. But are you just amazed that this young man had the presence of mind to remember what he saw on your show?
TROY LANDRY, "SWAMP PEOPLE": Yes, yes. He was very fortunate. He stayed calm. It sounds like he really kept his cool, and I think that`s what saved his life.
HAMMER: Yes. I think there`s no question about that. Jay, how does this make you feel that Caleb learned some of those life-saving methods from watching your show? I can`t imagine.
JAY PETERSON, PRODUCER, "SWAMP PEOPLE": It`s incredible. I mean, it`s incredible. As a television producer, you make a show to entertain the audience. You want your viewers to be drawn into a culture and a world, which is what we found with Troy and his guys down in the swamp.
And to think that this tough, clearly tough 17-year-old kid, had the presence of mind in the split second before an alligator tried to eat him and pull him into a death roll, he`s like, "I remember seeing this move where you grab the waddle under the neck to try and stabilize yourself, which Troy does 20 times a day.
It`s insane. It`s amazing. It makes you feel great, because we make TV shows to entertain. And if this kid - if it helped him save his life, it`s great.
HAMMER: Right. And he says it`s the last thing you imagine when you`re putting put this thing together, when you`re doing your job and hopefully we`ll entertain the kids at home, put on a good TV show and people will watch.
PETERSON: Exactly.
HAMMER: And this happens. Caleb describes how he grabbed the gator`s neck. But when the gator got a hold of his arm, he knew he had to lose that arm to survive.
Troy, do you actually teach survival techniques like that on your show, or he observed this from seeing it so many times?
LANDRY: No, we don`t actually teach techniques like that, but we always give little tips and evidently he was paying attention. You know, he was soaking it all in. He put it to good use when it counted the most, you know, to save his life.
HAMMER: Yes. Thank goodness for that. He says he`s used to seeing gators and they usually keep their distance. But this one was different and actually charged him, Troy. What can make a gator charge somebody like that?
LANDRY: Well, I see it all the time. People ask me all the time, why do you all hunt gators? We hunt gators to make a living to pay our bills, but Wildfire and Fisheries allows us to hunt gators to keep the population in control.
It`s management. If you`ve got too many gators in an area, they`re not scared of people and they`re on the top of the food chain. They`re going to come in your yard. They`re eat you, your kids or eat your pets.
I`m a nuisance hunter in Louisiana, and I can`t tell you how many times I went in people`s yards and got alligators that were in their yards, trying to get something to eat, whether it`s a pet or unfortunately a kid.
HAMMER: Well, Troy, it`s just another great reason to watch your show. Troy and Jay, thank you guys both so much. What a wild story.
Let`s go now from when gators attack to when sharks attack. This is number four tonight in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT buzziest countdown - when sharks attack.
Just when you thought it was safe to go fishing off a dock, think again. Sarah Brame(ph) was fishing off a porch in her vacation home in South Carolina and she caught a bit more than she bargained over.
She was all set to reel in her very first catch ever. But a shark was determined at the fish first. You`ve got to see this to believe it, because five-foot, 200-pound bull shark jumps out of the water and snatches her fish. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`ve got no line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)! Oh, jesus christ. It`s all mine. It`s all mine. (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s a shark! A shark! It`s a big ass shark.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s on your pole, baby. Keep reeling. Keep reeling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. pretty scary situation. Seeing how high that shark jumped out of the water, Sarah was afraid the shark would actually for her next. Thankfully, that didn`t happen.
Brame and her family weren`t harmed. Apparently, the shark just wanted a little fish food. But wait, there`s more to when sharks attack.
It`s number three on our buzziest countdown, a great white encounter caught on tape. Trust me, this is just like a scene out of the movie, "Jaws." Two friends out for a spear-fishing trip when they literally got the scare of a lifetime.
Nathan Padmore than had a video camera to record a spearfishing dive in Australia. But you`ve got to check out what he and his friend encountered and survived. Here`s Blake Johnson from our Aussie affiliate, Seven Network.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLAKE JOHNSON, REPORTER: Nathan Padmore put a camera on his head to film a spearfishing trip. This is the last thing he wanted to see - a shark Nathan reckons was at least three meters long.
Nathan and his best mate, Dave Richards, had too far to swim to shore and the shark is between them and their boat, which is 50 meters away.
The shark circles the boys three times in three minutes. With incredible control the two divers stay calm. Then the shark turns towards them. A spear gun each and a knife are all Dave and Nathan have as weapons. Climbing out of the water never felt so good.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED)!
JOHNSON: They were in the water 10 minutes on Saturday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the water it looked massive. But on site, it was probably 3 1/2, 4 meters, maybe more.
JOHNSON: Dave says jabbing the shark with their spear guns was all he and Nathan could do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If he wanted to, he could make a meal out of us really.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Can you imagine? Well, don`t go anywhere because we`re getting to number two and one on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT countdown tonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Wow. What`s going on there? Is that a glam shot or is it mug shot? Celebrity chef and "Around the World in 80 Plates" host, Cat Cora, really served up something a little extra special after her DUI bust.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down today`s top five biggest buzz makers. Let me run down where we are so far. When alligators attack is at number five tonight. The boy who tried to beat back an alligator based on what he saw on the reality show, "Swamp People."
At number four when sharks attack. A woman gets more than she bargains for when she hooks a small fish. And number three, two fishermen taking their spearfishing trip head on into a shark. It`s all caught on tape.
And now, number two, the sexiest looking mug shot ever - could be. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you this just released mug shot of celebrity chef, Cat Cora, cooking up this pose for the police.
But here`s the rub. She took it 11 days after police busted her for DUI in Santa Barbara because they just forgot to take the shot when she was arrested. So I guess she had time to glam up a little bit.
Compare that to what may possibly be the handsomest mug shot ever. Look at John Edwards, flashing that big toothy smile after he was indicted for alleged using campaign funds for his mistress and love child.
So what`s the number one tonight in the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT top five countdown? It`s time for the big reveal at number one.
The open letter written to Kim Kardashian. It appears on PsychologyToday.com by clinical psychologist Seth Meyers who is with us tonight from Hollywood. Good to have you here.
SETH MEYERS, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: Thanks, A.J., for having me.
HAMMER: Absolutely. I found this fascinating, and you signed this open letter as Kim`s imaginary father. You criticized her for what she said during her interview with Oprah Winfrey on "Oprah`s Next Chapter."
You said she believed in fairy tales and you didn`t like that so much. Can you please read to us some of what you wrote about that?
MEYERS: So I don`t know if you`re mother raised you to believe in fairytales, but I can`t imagine that your father did. He was a lawyer after all, and lawyers don`t believe in fairytales.
You talked in the interview about wanting babies, but that worried me, too, because the idea of babies is really easy to romanticize and idealize.
HAMMER: OK. I hear you, Seth. But my question I guess is why can`t Kim believe in fairytales? She wants the man. She wants the kids and lots of women want what Kim is wanting here. Why should she want something different?
MEYERS: Well, fairytales are bad news, because they`re not real. They`re fantasy. So if you believe in fairytales, it means that you have seriously distorted expectations.
And you`re going to set yourself up to fail. That`s exactly what happened with this marriage that she filed for divorce after 72 days.
HAMMER: Yes. And it is interesting, sort of ironic that a woman who bases her life in reality wants to live her life by fantasy.
So I see your point there. And also, in this fascinating open letter to Kim on PsychologyToday.com, you take issue to Kim dating Kanye West. And I`d love for you to read what you wrote about that.
MEYERS: Sure. So I`m most worried about the new romantic relationship with Kanye West. At the very least, you`re aware that it`s a little soon to start another relationship.
After Oprah asked if you`ll marry Kanye, you appropriately responded, "First, I need to get divorced." You know, you`re soon-to-be ex-husband Kris Humphries appreciates the fact that you still remember him.
HAMMER: Sure. And I don`t think you`re certainly in the minority about Kim appearing to jump into Kanye`s arms so soon after her 72-day marriage came to an end.
But Seth, I mean, we`re talking about Kim Kardashian, reality star. Kanye has already appeared in the reality show. Is there really ever a right time for Kim to get back into the dating thing?
MEYERS: Well, absolutely. You know, first of all, what she`s doing, which is jumping into the arms of someone new after a relationship fails, is something that a lot of people do.
The problem is, it never works, because you`re not figuring out what you need to do differently the next time so that your relationship, you know, is more successful.
If I were working with Kim, I would say, "Kim, you know, you really need a year. You really need a year to spend time alone and reflect on what in your thinking was off that caused you to have such a really unsuccessful romantic relationship."
HAMMER: Yes. And I think it also speaks volumes about what her relationship with Kris Humphries was really about and how seriously she was actually even involved with that thing.
Also, in your open letter to Kim, you take a shot at her for being too materialistic. What did you write about that?
MEYERS: And that`s a shocker, right?
HAMMER: Yes.
MEYERS: But what I say is, when you have a lot of money, it is certainly within your right to spend it. But just because you have it doesn`t mean you need to spend so much of it on materialistic possessions.
HAMMER: Yes. And I`m totally with you on that. Of course, there are those out there who would say, well, she makes a lot of money. What`s wrong with her spending it on stuff?
MEYERS: Well, you know, materialistic possessions - they`re fine. They`re fun. They make you happy for the moment, maybe even a little longer.
But the truth is when you`re wealthy and when you`re famous, the risk is that you start to lose touch with reality.
HAMMER: Right.
MEYERS: So people who are wealthy and famous need to invest more time and energy in things that have emotional value. That`s the key - emotional value.
HAMMER: I couldn`t agree with you more. It`s a great letter. Thanks so much, Dr. Seth Meyers. I appreciate it.
Got to move on to Lady Gaga versus Facebook. Why Gaga and her little monsters just might be the biggest competition the social network has ever seen. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRITNEY SPEARS, POP STAR: You can`t destroy that song, sweetie.
Very predictable.
You really don`t have the "X Factor."
HAMMER: Some biting words maybe people didn`t expect from Britney Spears in this brand-new promo revealed today for "The X Factor."
And you kind of have to wonder if Simon Cowell has possibly been schooling her on how to be nasty to "X Factor" contestants.
Britney sure does look like she knows a good contestant when she hears one by the looks of that promo showing her as a judge in the upcoming season of "X Factor," making her big debut, but while she`s being brutally honest, and I say thank goodness.
With me now, in New York, it`s TV and radio host Michael Billy. And also tonight singer, activist and actress, Sheryl Lee Ralph, the author of this great book, "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dream Girl."
All right. We`ve got to get a load of Britney, pulling a Simon Cowell on the new crop of "X Factor" contestants. Roll it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Britney Spears joins the "X Factor." But has America`s sweetheart been hanging out with Simon Cowell so much.
SPEARS: You can`t destroy that song, sweetie.
Very predictable.
You definitely don`t have "The X Factor."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "The X Factor" premieres Wednesday, September 12th on Fox.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to tell you I`m smiling because I don`t think, Sheryl Lee, people expected to see that from Britney Spears.
I`m happy we`re seeing that, but I don`t think that kind of biting tongue is what we thought we`d have coming from her.
RALPH: Baby, let me tell you something. I said, "Britney you put the F in "fierce," baby. She said "bad to the bone."
She said, "Excuse me, sweetie, you cannot ruin that song like that." I was like you better go. Poor -
HAMMER: Simon?
RALPH: Simon was like whoa, "Did she just do me better than me?" I was like -
HAMMER: You wonder if Simon gave her a list of snappy comments to say, Michael. But like I said, when we were talking about Britney signing on for the show, I said, please, Britney, be honest. Don`t just be fluffy. I think this is great, but not what we expected.
BILLY: What do you want from Britney Spears? I`m so excited she`s putting together a coherent sentence. She`s had a hard life. So what? She`s a little arough around the edges. You would be, too.
HAMMER: Do you think she`ll keep doing that? I mean, this was a commercial to get people to watch the show. You think she`ll be that bad to the bone when it starts?
RALPH: I think she`s going to be honest.
HAMMER: Yes.
RALPH: She`s "shot out the cannon" honest. I think she`s going to continue to be honest. When she sees it`s great, it`s going to be great.
HAMMER: Right.
RALPH: When she sees it`s awful, she`s going to chop you down.
HAMMER: Let`s hope so. All right. Let`s move on to Lady Gaga with some big news today. She`s launching her very own social network, a move that will likely see her going head-to-head with Facebook.
I think this is a great idea for her and little monsters. It`s called "Little Monsters." Gaga`s fans can post photos. They can chat with other fans, buy tickets.
They can also get in the chat room in this multilingual discussions. There are going to be translations for fans around the world.
I think it`s so cool that people will be connected in that way. Michael, you think Facebook needs to be a little bit worried? I love what she`s doing here.
BILLY: She`s a marketing genius. This is behind the Deadheads and Grateful Dead. This is something other bands will follow. She`s creating a culture. She is a marketing genius.
RALPH: Yes.
BILLY: In how many languages can you say it?
HAMMER: She needs the Grateful Dead`s dancing bears, and it will be complete. I say good for her. Maybe Facebook should be running scared. Sheryl Lee Ralph, Michael Billy, thank you so much.
Coming up next, Channing Tatum`s big reveal. Get your singles ready because the "Magic Mike" star may be stripping down to nothing yet again.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Can you move back for me, please? We keep getting complaints of noise and underage drinking. Everybody sit down. We`re going to be here for a while. You don`t have anything sharp on you that I can stick myself with, do you?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: No.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Good, because I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. That is Channing Tatum in "Magic Mike," one of the Hollywood`s hottest stars and one of Hollywood`s hottest movies.
And tonight, we`ve got some red hot news for you about a possible "Magic Mike" sequel. "Magic Mike" still in theaters and people are already screaming for a sequel, so should we get your singles ready for a "Magic Mike 2"?
Well, according to Channing Tatum, the answer is yes, yes, yes. Channing just made that revelation while taking part in a Twitter Q & A with the British version of "Glamour" magazine.
Here`s what he tweeted, "We`re working on the concept now. We want to flip the script and make it even bigger."
And the "Magic Mike" train is also heading to Broadway. A show is developed right now, not bad for a movie that was just made for, you know, $7 million. It brought in nearly $80 million.
Moving on now to Spike Lee`s tribute to the King of Pop, the documentary that remembers of the music. Plus, the world famous wedding dress designer who is getting separated.
And you can believe the rumors as Fleetwood Mac is coming back. A tour that no one thought would ever happen is happening, and that tops "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) Fleetwood`s back. Rock band Fleetwood Mac is getting ready for a reunion. The band`s front woman, Stevie Nicks just revealed on CBS this morning that a Fleetwood Mac reunion is in the works.
Nicks said everyone is on board and the group should be back together in 2013. Fleetwood Mac last toured in 2009.
Spike`s King of Pop doc. Director Spike Lee is finishing up a Michael Jackson documentary. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the film will focus on Jackson`s "Bad" album.
The documentary will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the album`s release and will feature interviews with Michael confidants, choreographers and musicians.
Vera`s not-so-fairytale ending. Designer Vera Wang has just announced she and her husband of 23 years are separating.
In a statement to WomensWearDaily.com, the president of Wang`s company said, "Vera Wang and Arthur Becker have mutually and amicable agreed to separate. They remain devoted parents to their two daughters."
Well, tonight the explosive report on sexual abuse at Penn State is out. So why didn`t officials try to protect the kids? It`s Dr. Drew getting to the bottom of that right now.
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