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Showbiz Tonight
Snooki Gives Birth to Son; Naked Truth about Prince Harry in Vegas; Pippa Middleton Writes Book on Parties; Superman v. Batman?; Katie`s Big Return; Dancing On Damage Control; Will Wives Play Nice; Will Diva`s Demands Be Met;; Please Just Shut Up
Aired August 29, 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, what really happened in Vegas. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with brand-new insight into what the royals had to say about Prince Harry`s nude royal romp in Vegas. Was the queen furious? And does the naughty prince have plans to tone down his bad-boy ways?
Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer.
And tonight in the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," wow. Talk about shakeups. From Katie Couric to "Dancing with the Stars" to "American Idol" and even Snooki and "Jersey Shore." Yes, we are counting down the top five TV show shake-ups that might leave us all shaken.
But first tonight it`s a Snooki countdown of another kind. Tonight there are brand-new details about what kind of mom Snooki just might be only three days after giving birth. And we learned today that Snooki has left the hospital with little Renzo.
Snooki, we know you`ve put that beer bottle away for a baby bottle. So what are the top five things that you must do as a first-time mom? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is helping you out by counting them down right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Time to face facts. This woman...
NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI, REALITY TV STAR: I`m not trashy. Unless I drink too much.
HAMMER: ... is now a mom.
On Sunday, the formerly hard-partying reality show star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi gave birth to her first child with fiance Jionni LaValle, a baby boy named Lorenzo. Now Snooki is home and loving motherhood, and she`s letting the world know it.
MARC MALKIN, E! NEWS: She`s been tweeting a lot about her little meatball.
HAMMER: E!`s Marc Malkin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Snooki is giving a minute-by-minute update on her new foray into motherhood. This morning, she tweeted a picture celebrating her four days old of being a mommyface.
MALKIN: She`s been saying things like, obviously she loves being a mom, but she doesn`t get a lot of sleep.
HAMMER: But now that Snooki is in the throes of new motherhood, we hope this reality star is facing reality and that this Snooki...
POLIZZI: I just (EXPLETIVE DELETED) a (EXPLETIVE DELETED).
HAMMER: ... is a thing of the past. In fact, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down the top five things Snooki should give up now that she`s a mom.
No. 5 on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" is easy. Partying.
POLIZZI: The things I think I`m addicted to: bronzer, boys and alcohol.
HAMMER: Yes. Watching Snooki go nuts on "Jersey Shore" was a lot of fun, but now that she`s responsible for another life, scenes like this...
POLIZZI: I feel like if I was sober, I`d be bored.
HAMMER: And this hopefully are things of the past.
POLIZZI: Definitely did a 180.
HAMMER: When a then-pregnant Snooki and her reality show co-star Jennifer "JWoww" Farley appeared on "Good Morning America" this past June, JWoww said she saw a completely different Snooki.
JENNIFER "JWOWW" FARLEY, REALITY TV STAR: No more drinking, smoking, partying.
HAMMER: Sure, Snooki gave up drinking and partying, but what about No. 4 on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of things Snooki should give up now that she`s a mom? Fighting. This diminutive star is known to have a short fuse. Not the best example to set for a little one.
No. 3 on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of things Snooki should give up now that she`s a mom? Getting arrested.
POLIZZI: I couldn`t even tell you how I felt in a jail cell.
Fans of "Jersey Shore" have watched Snooki get hauled away in cuffs twice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re talking to a police officer like that.
HAMMER: But Snooki, multiple arrests don`t go over well in PTA meetings.
No. 2 on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of things Snooki should give up now that she`s a mom? All that relationship drama.
POLIZZI: Where`s my boyfriend?
HAMMER: Snooki and her fiance, Jionni, have had their share of petty on-camera drama. Drunken spats on TV are a lot less cute when they involve someone`s parents.
And finally, No. 1 on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of things Snooki should give up now that she`s a mom? "The Jersey Shore."
POLIZZI: I really don`t remember his face because of (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HAMMER: Now that she`s a mom, it`s clear. Snooki has outgrown the shore. She tweeted, quote, "Breast pump instead of fist pump."
MALKIN: She`s really settled with Jionni. They`re really happy. There has -- there has been no drama.
Last June, a pregnant Snooki told "Good Morning America" she`s well suited to motherhood.
POLIZZI: I feel like I`m going to love my baby like crazy.
MALKIN: And if Snooki does that and gives up all that other stuff, little Lorenzo will be one lucky "Jersey Shore" kid.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: So Snooki is a mom. I have to get used to saying that. Snooki is a mom. And judging by her constant tweets, well, it looks like she`s actually enjoying it. I`m happy for her.
With me in New York, entertainment reporter Zain Meghji, and in Hollywood, Maggie Furlong from the Huffington Post.
So we have all these "happy to be a mom" tweets coming from Snooki, and her fellow reality show cast mates really seem to say that she has turned over this new leaf: no more partying, no more fighting, yada, yada, yada. Zain, do you think that Snooki has permanently turned over a new leaf? It is so tough to change your ways when you`re someone like Snooki.
ZAIN MEGHJI, ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER: Well, we`re going to see when "The Jersey Shore" premieres in October with her four months pregnant if she actually stops drinking. We know that little Lorenzo is healthy, so we think that she did. She kept her style, like as we were talking about the tweets all going on. She had the leopard-print robe, the false eyelashes. So she`s staying true to herself, but I think she is taking care of herself. So that`s boding well so far for the little baby.
HAMMER: Any chance a pregnant Snooki is going to be the top Halloween costume this year? I think Snooki`s been one of the top ones for the past few years.
MEGHJI: No, I think people will now have the bottle of booze, a baby bottle and like a toy baby. That will be the Halloween costume.
HAMMER: Listen, we all know that part of Snooki`s appeal always has been her hard-partying ways, Maggie. If Snooki really has turned over a new leaf, do you think that her fans are still going to tune in to see Snooki, the mature mom? I`m having a hard time getting a read on that.
MAGGIE FURLONG, HUFFINGTON POST: That`s the biggest question, and I really feel like MTV wants people to see her in this new light. You know, they filmed the birth. They filmed her leaving the hospital. They`re filming as we speak as she`s bringing baby Lorenzo home.
I`m not really sure where that footage is going to go, if it will be sort of an end tag to the new season of "Jersey Shore," or if they`re really thinking about maybe another spinoff. Maybe this is life with Snooki and Jionni now and the baby. I just hope that other cast members don`t get the idea of having babies, because a "Jersey Junior" spinoff is, like, terrifying to me.
HAMMER: Yes, can you imagine that? It would be like "Toddlers and Tiaras" on the Jersey shore. Oh, that`s just a frightening thought.
MEGHJI: Don`t give them ideas.
HAMMER: And yes or no, should she give up even just going to the Jersey shore at all? Because we wouldn`t even know what a Snooki...
MEGHJI: No, she`s got to keep living her life. And like, you know, that`s -- her son was born on a Saturday night, came out partying.
HAMMER: Yes.
MEGHJI: She`s going to keep it alive. That`s always going to stay.
HAMMER: All right. Maggie, Zain, thank you both so much.
Well, speaking of hard partying, Prince Harry is still all over the papers for his royal nude photo scandal. That wild Vegas party where the prince was snapped naked as a British jaybird has erupted into a huge royal headache.
Today, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT obtained an advance copy of the new issue of "People" magazine, the naked truth about Vegas, the naughty prince.
With us now, "People" magazine`s Carlos Greer. So Carlos, there have been reports that the royal family is furious at Harry for embarrassing the crown, but "People" magazine spoke with a source inside the palace, who says the royals really had a surprising reaction to this scandal. Tell us about that.
CARLOS GREER, "PEOPLE": Sources told "People" that -- sources at the palace told "People" that they`re really not making a big deal out of this at all. They want to -- it`s his private life. He`s young. He`s having fun, and they understand that. And they support him. He hasn`t done anything unlawful.
HAMMER: Really? And they`re not all up in arms and giving him the big dress-down that we all had heard about or suspected that would happen?
GREER: Private -- sadly, no. It`s a let-down. Everyone expected them to, but you know, they`re not taking it as serious as a lot of people here are.
HAMMER: Well, yes, but we`re taking it seriously because we`re supporting him. We`re not upset at him.
And of course, it`s not the first time that the prince`s wild ways have gotten him this unwanted kind of attention. But have we gotten any indication yet that this particular scandal, which I`m sure he was disturbed by, to be honest, you know, do you think it will have Harry perhaps pulling a Snooki and maybe toning down his hard partying?
GREER: Well, you know what? He has. He`s faced scandal before. He is embarrassed by this, but there`s no sign that he`s going to be toning down at all. You know, he works hard. He parties hard, and women love him. He knows that he`s third to the throne. And so, you know, he`s really enjoying himself. He`s not going to stop any time soon, I don`t think.
HAMMER: You know, this is a pretty big deal here in the United States. We`ve been talking about it since the story broke. People -- you know, people e-mail me about it. I`m seeing it all over the Internet and our Facebook page.
Over in the U.K., it is huge. Will the folks over there actually be a little bit disappointed? Even if they`re disappointed or saying that they`re disappointed in him, won`t they be disappointed if he actually does tone down his ways?
GREER: I think so. I think people like to see this of Harry, and people expect this from Harry. He`s the royal that`s not too serious. He likes to have fun, and it`s fun to watch.
HAMMER: It is fun to watch.
GREER: Yes.
HAMMER: And it`s fun to have you here to give us the insight. Thank you so much, Carlos.
Another royal partier, Pippa Middleton, just revealed her new party book could actually help Harry. Carlos Greer, stay right where you are.
But we`ll move on right now to Katie`s TV crew. Katie Couric nabs the very first post-baby interview with Jessica Simpson, but is that going to help Katie shake up daytime TV? And will that be the biggest TV shake-up of the fall season? Or will "American Idol" judges roulette possibly take the cake? Well, tonight we are counting down the top five TV shake-ups. That`s coming up.
Also, Batman versus Superman. One has the best car ever while the other can fly. It is time to settle this great debate once and for all. Which superhero is the greatest of all time? I`ve got just the guy to answer that question. He played Superman on TV. The great Dean Cain is right here for a supersized "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" interview.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Ann Romney`s modern favorite. Yes, Mitt Romney`s wife revealed her favorite show on TV is "Modern Family." Some might find that surprising, given her husband`s hard stance against gay marriage.
Show creator Steve Levitan was very happy to hear about his famous fan, tweeting this: "Thrilled Ann Romney says ModFam is her favorite show. We`ll offer her the role of officiant at Mitch and Cam`s wedding. As soon as it`s legal."
Now, Mitch and Cam, of course, are a gay couple on the show. We`ll see if that actually happens. I don`t think.
Up next, Pippa Middleton`s party advice to Prince Harry.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and who better to give party advice to Prince Harry than another notorious partier, his sister-in-law, Pippa Middleton. Well, today People.com revealed the very first look at this, the cover of Pippa`s upcoming party advice book called "Celebrate: Festivities for Family and friends."
"People" reporter Carlos Greer is back with us now.
So Carlos, what do we know about this book? Does it contain, perhaps, the kind of advice that had Prince Harry carefully followed, he might not have wound up with his pants down in Vegas?
GREER: I don`t think there are tips in this book about having naked pool billiard parties at all.
HAMMER: Or how to avoid them.
GREER: Or how to avoid them. But basically, it`s a subtle book about how to entertain for family and friends. You know, the Middleton family, they have their party-planning business. You`re going to find tips on how to throw a perfect Valentine`s Day party or perfect Christmas party. So parties that are more so for events and entertaining family and friends.
HAMMER: It`s interesting, because you know, you look at Pippa`s partying background. She has had her fair share of party photo controversies. There was that old picture that got out last year. She was partying in a bra with a man who was wearing nothing but boxer shorts. More than Prince Harry, though.
So Carlos, this book basically seems to be as controversial as apple pie. Does this indicate to us that the hard-partying Pippa is a thing of the past?
GREER: It seems like it is. We haven`t seen her out, like, you know, like those pictures in the past. She seems to have really toned down lately.
HAMMER: Oh, well. We can always hope that something will change. I don`t know; it`s more fun to talk about that.
When is the book coming out?
GREER: The book will be out in the fall.
HAMMER: OK. Perhaps Prince Harry is now lining up at the start to see how to do a proper party. Had he just thrown a nice lovely, you know, party instead of a big naked party...
GREER: Maybe.
HAMMER: ... I think it actually would have worked for him.
All right, Carlos, thank you so much.
Well, tonight as we move on, what do you think about Will.i.am on Mars? Well, his music, anyway.
Will.i.am has gotten to do a lot of cool things, being who he is, including playing the biggest show on earth, the Super Bowl, with his group, the Black-Eyed Peas.
Now Will.i.am has played the biggest show in the galaxy. The Mars Curiosity rover just beamed his track, "Reach for the Stars," from Mars right back home to Earth. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there with Will to hear the transmission.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner joins me now from Hollywood, not Mars. But she has all the details. Nischelle, I`m thinking even a superstar like Will.i.am, who`s gotten to do so many cool things, had to be blown away by this.
TURNER: Oh, absolutely, A.J. I absolutely loved this. Oh, yes. You know, this is the first time that music has been beamed to Earth from another planet. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was with Will at NASA`s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, at the moment "Reach for the Stars" was played on the Mars rover. And Will, you know, he was bobbing his head along with the music and with the guys running the Curiosity rover program. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s actually pretty cool.
TURNER: Yes.
HAMMER: But this isn`t just about having his song beamed across space, Nischelle. This is actually some kind of a passion project for him, right?
TURNER: Yes. It really is. You know, when he spoke with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, he was quick to remind us that this entire project was for a greater cause, which is the launch of his Steam Youth initiative, and that`s supports students to become innovators.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL.I.AM, MUSICIAN: Today was the first time my song was beamed from the red planet to our blue planet. The rover Curiosity, Dave Lavery (ph) and team, thank you so much. Charlie Bolden (ph), thank you so much for having the open mind to understand how impactful it can be to beam in a song to earth from Mars to inspire kids to become scientists.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: You know, Will.i.am is definitely passionate about science and education. And you know, I think getting his song on Mars, along with being pretty darn cool, if I do say so myself, is actually going to do a lot of good, A.J.
HAMMER: I think so, too. I think there are two lessons in life you can follow. One is reach for the stars. The other is look to the cookie. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, thank you so much. I digress.
All right. We move now to Mariah`s campaign for Lenny Kravitz? Now, "American Idol," as you know, has been playing judges` roulette for weeks. But who`s going to get that coveted seat next to Mariah? And will Lenny have to battle Nicki Minaj? Could this "Idol" showdown be the biggest TV shake-up of the new season, or might new mom Snooki`s new shore life actually be the one to take the top spot? Stick around, because we are counting down the top five TV shake-ups coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Such a classic. Who can forget that iconic flying scene from the original Superman movie? Christopher Reeve really brought to life one of America`s favorite superheroes. I mean, come on, he can fly. But was Superman the greatest of all time?
Well, there is no definitive answer to that question, but thanks to "Entertainment Weekly," the choices have at least narrowed down to two. "EW" put together this poll of 32 superheroes, including Spider-Man, of course, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern and others. Here`s who`s on top so far.
You`ve got Superman at 42 percent, but you have the Batman on top with 58 percent. Now, the poll closes on Friday, so we had to have a true superhero weigh in on this entire thing.
The great Dean Cain, of course, played Superman on the `90s TV series, which was one of my favorite series. I told you that before, Dean. "Lois and Clark." He joins me now from Hollywood.
It`s good to see you.
DEAN CAIN, ACTOR: Yes, sir, good to see you.
HAMMER: So Dean, I`ve got a feeling you have something to say about this poll. I can guess which superhero you`re rooting for.
CAIN: There`s no question.
HAMMER: No, listen, look, we`ve got Batman beating Superman by a pretty good margin so far, so what is your argument for Superman winning this whole thing?
CAIN: I mean, it`s great that everybody can vote, and it`s wonderful. And if you see, you know, a game that`s going to be played like the Super Bowl, people are going to pick their teams that they want to win. You know, it doesn`t mean it`s going to happen. If you put Superman and Batman against each other, it`s not even a question. Superman is going to torch him. I`m sorry, it`s just the way it is.
HAMMER: You see, you mention right there the Super Bowl, probably the best loved, most revered game in all of sports and in all of the world. And it has the word "super" right there in it. See?
CAIN: Yes, it does.
HAMMER: I`m helping you make your point, Dean. The poll, after all, is about the greatest of the comic book superheroes. But here`s what I was thinking, because I`m wondering why is Batman winning? I think maybe the fact that "The Dark Knight Rises" is in theaters right now and so top-of- mind for so many people, I have to believe that would affect this poll, wouldn`t you?
CAIN: Absolutely. When the next Superman film comes out, I think they`re going to change their mind really quickly. So it`s about timing, you know. And that`s great that people are voting for Batman. It could be 90 percent to 10 percent for Batman. Superman would still torch him. It doesn`t matter.
HAMMER: Torch him. Isn`t there another super hero that does that? And when you played Superman on "Lois and Clark" with the great Teri Hatcher, did you think to yourself, "Wow, I am playing the greatest superhero of all the history of comics"?
CAIN: Yes, he is. I think he is, by far, the greatest superhero. Batman is an incredible character, but he has no superpowers. And, you know, Superman is -- he`s got them all. He has got them all.
And I was well aware that I was playing such an iconic American character. Loved it, enjoyed the heck out of it, you know. And I`m glad that I`m still even connected to it in any way, shape or form.
HAMMER: Well, Dean, you are a super guy and we always appreciate having you here. Make sure you catch Dean. He`s on "Stars Earn Stripes" Monday nights on NBC.
We move now to Snooki tan baby. "Jersey Shore`s" favorite meatball has got a little meatball of her own, and the word is Snooki and her snookette will be headed back to her smash-hit reality show. But will this be the biggest shake-up on TV? Or will Katie Couric`s top talk show debut with Jessica Simpson actually top Snooki`s return to the shore? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down the top five TV show shakeups, coming up.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the top five TV shake-ups.
Katie Couric now just days away from her big return to TV, and her first guest is Jessica Simpson. So just how much is the first post-baby look at Jessica going to shake up the world of daytime talk? Well, tonight we are counting down the top five TV shake-ups. From Katie`s daytime debut to Snooki`s TV debut. Which TV surprise is going to take the No. 1 slot on our countdown tonight?
And the giant smashable mute button that is going to change the way you watch TV. We`re revealing the power of silence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNIE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smash Mute may be the must have political novelty of 2012. Mute you! And you, too.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (singing): Above the fruited --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, how to zap all of those bloviating politicians running for election this fall. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
Well tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, in "the SHOWBIZ Countdown," it`s top five TV show shake-ups you have got to get ready for. And the biggest shake-up that is about to turn TV inside-out is the return of Katie Couric. This time around, Katie is going to be flexing some different muscles. She`s venturing into new territory with her brand-new daytime talk show. It debuts in a couple of weeks.
So much has been said about Katie possibly filling Oprah Winfrey`s shoes since the queen of talk ended her daytime chat fest. But the question is, can Katie really take her place? Well, here`s just one clue. We learned who Katie`s very first guest will be. Drum roll, please. Yes, she is famous for asking if Chicken of the Sea is really tuna or chicken and she just became a first-time mom. Yes, Katie`s first big guest is Jessica Simpson. Katie kicks us off at number five on our "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of the top five TV show shake-ups.
With me tonight, the host of HGTV`s "Property Virgins" and V103 radio personality Egypt Sherrod in Hollywood tonight. Dean Cain, who, of course, famously stared on the long-running ABC show "Lois and Clark" as Superman and Clark Kent. Dean is now kicking some serious butt on the brand-new hit show "Stars Earn Stripes" on NBC.
Great to have you both here.
Let`s talk about Katie, because this first interview with Jessica promises obviously to be full of confessions from Jess, including what her life has been like since becoming a mom, her challenging weight loss battle that has been so public, and, of course, she`s going to address some of the nasty rumors that have plagued her.
Dean, do you think that Katie`s first big interview with Jessica really does have the potential to shake up TV talk show domination in Katie`s favor?
DEAN CAIN, HOST, "STARS EARN STRIPES": I think it will help her. And the size of Katie`s arms in that photo that you had, that might do it, too, because that was impressive. But, yes, I think people are going to tune in to take a look at Jessica. I think they`re going to see.
HAMMER: Well, you say exactly those words "take a look at Jessica." They`ll certainly want to see what she has to say.
But, Egypt, whether it`s right or wrong, you know that the number one think that people want to see is how much Jessica has lost her baby weight, you know, and not necessarily hear what she has to say to Katie. I hate to say it, but I think that`s kind of true.
EGYPT SHERROD, HOST, "PROPERTY VIRGINS": Well, you know, it`s a big unfortunate. I just had my daughter seven months ago, so I know the pressure Jessica must be under right now. But I find her (INAUDIBLE) interesting. To be honest with you, last year her empire made $750 million. According to newyorkmagazine.com, this year her empire is scheduled to make over $1 billion. She`s pacing at the same volume sales as Michael Coors. If people don`t find that interesting, then we have our heads on backwards.
HAMMER: Yes, I think it`s a great get for Katie and I think there`s going to be huge tune-in.
All right, let`s move on now to number four. That`s next on our countdown of the top five TV show shake-ups tonight. The fallout from the disturbing new claims made by former "Dancing With The Stars" contestant and pro soccer player Hope Solo, that her dance partner, Max Chmerkovskiy, slapped her during rehearsals.
Now, Dean, Max has denied this, but you know that it is something that`s going to continue to haunt him. People are going to ask him about it. How big of a distraction do think it`s going to be as the new season is about to start?
CAIN: It`s "Dance With The Stars "and it`s a controversy. It will be zero distraction whatsoever. It`s just more viewers, more people paying attention. I`m frankly shocked that if -- if he actually did slap her, I`m surprised that she didn`t slap him back, because Hope seems pretty tough to me.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, we did see a lot of the tension play out on the show and I heard about some of that tension when I just spoke with "Dancing With The Stars" pro Louis Van Amstel because I asked him why he thinks -- this was very strange to me and a lot of people -- why Hope Solo makes these claims now in her book, instead of bringing them up when she was on "Dancing With The Stars" with Max. Watch (INAUDIBLE) --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOUIS VAN AMSTEL: I find it shocking to do it -- I mean it`s no one`s business. It`s a private matter. She should deal with Max. Why wait so long? She just won a gold medal. Why would she now make these claims? I mean, in the end, if something like that would have happened for her, the biggest f you would have been, I`m the gold medalist and that`s it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Putting it quite bluntly. So obviously we`re just going to have to wait and see how it all plays out in the coming weeks. We`ll also be seeing Louis on "Dancing With The Stars." He`s partnering with Sabrina Bryan.
Right now we move to number three on our "SHOWBIZ Countdown." It`s our top five TV shake-ups tonight. A possible major reality TV show shake-up. Will the "Basketball Wives" who have become infamous for being so nasty to each other actually play nice on their VH1 reality show? Now, for a couple of seasons, people have been calling out this show and calling for it to be canceled because of the ladies` violence towards one another. Cast member Evelyn Lozada revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner that she knows exactly what people think about the women who are on the show. Let`s watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EVELYN LOZADA, "BASKETBALL WIVES": I take full responsibility. You know, my family was upset. My fiance was like, what are you doing, you know? And you find yourself -- you`re watching it and you`re like, wow, you know, why did I handle that situation that way? And I always say I`m happy that I have that mirror, which is TV, to, you know, show me that I need to deal with things differently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Deal with things differently. Look, I`m thinking, unfortunately, if the "Basketball Wives" do end up place nice, Egypt, it`s going to completely shake up why people want to watch the show in the first place, to see them fight, sad as that is.
SHERROD: A.J., I agree with you wholeheartedly. You and I both know the only thing that gets shows canceled are low ratings, not petitions, not people calling for it to be canceled. And, you know, it`s a sad truth. It`s a show we love to hate and hate to love, but 2 million people tune in every week just to watch the cat fights. I`m afraid that if they stop fighting and cursing and acting a fool on TV, people are going to find another place to find their scandal. I mean it`s what it is.
HAMMER: Yes. It is what it is. And that`s been so much what the show has been since the very beginning of the thing. And I remember speaking with Shaunie O`Neal last year about it. She runs the show. And she was very defensive of the show and what they do. And that was before they made the decision to tone things down. So I guess we`ll see.
And now we`ll move from "Basketball Wives" and their diva ways to the diva who`s demanding her rock star. In at number two on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of our top five TV show shake-ups tonight, "American Idol." So, will new "Idol" judge Mariah Carey actually get her wish. Does she have the power to bring in rocker Lenny Kravitz as a fellow judge. Imagine that. There are actually a bunch of reports out there that the next new judge to join "Idol" would possibly be Nicki Minaj, but Mariah is reportedly not happy at all about that choice and she`s actually launched her very own tweet lobby to get Lenny on the show. I think Lenny likes the idea because he responded with his very own tweet. Let me read that to you. He said, "girl, we`ve known each other since we were teenagers. How fun would that be?"
Dean, what`s your vote? I mean I think it would be cool to have a couple of friends, old pals on the show together. Does "Idol" need Lenny or does "Idol" need Nicki Minaj to really shake things up?
CAIN: Well, "Idol" has Mariah Carey. And I think Mariah`s making it very clear there`s room for one diva and that chair is taken.
HAMMER: Yes.
CAIN: So if I were to bet -- if I were a betting man, and I am, I would bet on Mariah and Lenny, absolutely.
HAMMER: Well, it will be interesting to see if she can actually pull that off.
CAIN: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: Look, whether it`s Nicki or Lenny, the bigger question is, what if the show bombs with all the money that they`re spending on Mariah? That`s a reported $17 million. And obviously whoever else they hire, Egypt, I mean, a lot of people have been saying the show has jumped the shark already.
SHERROD: You know, I`d have to agree with that. But let me just make this point. Mariah has it all wrong. If Nicki Minaj joins the show, she`s bringing with her a younger demographic. Mariah`s afraid she`s going to look older because he`s 40-something and Nicki`s 20-something. No, that opens her up to a younger age group who doesn`t really care about Mariah right now.
But on another note, bring Lenny on. I`ve always had a crush on him.
HAMMER: That`s a great point. I think Mariah`s had great success at transcending demographics, if I can get technical about it. But I think bringing in a young star like Nicki really could actually help her out. So, there you have it.
But what will be number one in our countdown of the top TV show shake-ups? Well, here`s a little hint. Please, please don`t cry. It`s coming right up on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And now, it`s SHOWBIZ to the rescue. We want to protect you from all the irritating stuff on TV. Not us, of course. But we`ve got just the thing to protect you. It`s a giant smashable mute button.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNIE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smash Mute may be the must have political novelty of 2012. Mute you! And you, too.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (singing): Above the fruited --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Stay with me. I`m going to help you out. I`m going to show you how to silence the TV drivel you just can`t stand. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down the top five TV show shake-ups tonight and here`s where we are so far.
Number five on the countdown, Katie Couric`s triumphant return. So will her first interview with Jessica Simpson bring a lot of viewers to her show?
Number four, "Dancing" on damage control. Will Hope Solo`s claims about "Dancing With The Star`s" pro dancer Maksim Chmerkovskiy, slapping her during rehearsals, actually derail the show.
Number three on the countdown, will the "Basketball Wives" finally play nice with each other and end their violent slap-happy ways?
Number two on the countdown, will Mariah Carey get her with for rocker Lenny Kravitz to join her as a judge on "American Idol"?
That brings us to number one on our countdown of the top five TV show shake-ups. Cue the baby, please. As long as we`re looking at Snooki there. Is Snooki`s baby headed to the "Jersey Shore." It`s the biggest TV show shakeup the world has ever seen. All right, that may be pushing it a little bit, but how in the world is brand new mom and pint-sized party girl Snooki actually going to assimilate back into the world of GTL? Smooshing, fist- pumping and this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SNOOKI, "JERSEY SHORE": Honestly, like, who hides in a bush? Only me. I will pee in a bush, I will poop in a bush and I will hide in a bush. I do (EXPLETIVE DELETED). I don`t even know what a toilet (ph) means.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: To be honest (ph), I`m going to miss that.
Back with me now, the host of HDTV`s "Property Virgins" Egypt Sherrod from Hollywood. Dean Cain. Dean is a contestant on this excellent new show "Stars Earn Stripes." It`s on NBC.
And I don`t know about the two of you, but I have this image of Snooki holding her beer bottle in one hand and her baby`s bottle in the other hand.
Now, Dean, is it wrong for me to be afraid that Snooki would, I don`t know, somehow get the two bottles confused?
CAIN: Well, look, no longer will Snooki be the only person peeing and pooping into a bush, I guess, that`s what would be happening.
HAMMER: What are you trying to say, Dean? Oh, OK, peeing and pooping into a bush. OK, I`ll clarify that for you.
CAIN: Yes. She won`t be the only one.
HAMMER: Here`s the thing. There`s a new scene from Snooki`s show with JWoww, the two of them pretending to have babies as they walk into a bar. You need to watch how this plays out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SNOOKI: I would never take my real baby to the bar, obviously. But, you know, this real baby, it`s either you leave it at home and give it neglect or you take it to the bar and you take care of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
SNOOKI: Everyone`s smashed. And I just want to get my baby home and I want to go to sleep because I am so exhausted from taking care of Lorenzo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are you confident we`re not going to see Snooki bringing the baby into the bar, Egypt?
SHERROD: I`m not confident. And, you know, if I could give Snooki one word of advice, no. Keep something for yourself. Her whole life is on TV already. I mean if she brings this baby on TV, it`s opening Pandora`s Box of public opinion. And once you open that door, you simply can`t close it. Why doesn`t she ask Britney Spears how that worked out for her.
HAMMER: Well, Dean, let me ask your opinion on that because I get the whole proud mom thing. I get the fact -- I get the idea that she`s out there tweeting and she`s talking about the kid, but there`s a privacy thing. Look, you`ve been a television star for a long time. You know all about invasion of privacy and what it can mean if too much of you is out there. There`s a whole lot of Snooki out there. Should the baby not be out there so much?
CAIN: Well, personally, as a father, I would never do that. But, again, her career has been her life out in front of the camera. So, you know, I don`t know what she`s going to do, but I would really, really strongly ask her to follow Egypt`s advice and do not bring that baby out on that show.
HAMMER: It`s not very often you get advice from Egypt. Egypt Sherrod, we thank you.
CAIN: Take it.
HAMMER: I think Snooki thanks you.
Dean Cain, it`s always great to see you as well. And good luck with your new show "Stars Earn Stripes." It`s on NBC.
Well, we move now from smushing to smashing. When you`ve had enough of the "Jersey Shore" gang or really anything on TV, it is time for the Smash Mute button.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNIE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smash Mute may be the must have political novelty of 2012. Mute you! And you, too.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (singing): Above the fruited --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You`ve got to see how this thing works. Tonight I am showing you the brand new big, big, big button that`s going to change the way you watch television forever. Imagine that. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, tonight it`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to the rescue. Election season is heating up and that, of course, means your television is about to be jam-packed with politicians, bloviating talkers and endless political speeches. So what do you do when you can`t take it anymore? CNN`s Jeanne Moos has the answer. It`s a super-sized mute button that is guaranteed to bring you silence.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNIE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you`re desperate to make the TV shut up! When you`re in a rush to get rid of Rush.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Barack Hussein Kardashian.
MOOS: When you`re sick of Snooki.
SNOOKI, "JERSEY SHORE": Oh, my God.
MOOS: No longer will you have to fumble for that miserable teeny tiny mute button you can never find in time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Put some zip back in your love life. Call - -
MOOS: Introducing Smash Mute.
GIBSON CAROTHERS, SMASH MUTE CREATOR: You can`t miss this mute button. That`s one thing. It`s about 200 times larger than your average mute button.
MOOS: Creator Gibson Carothers calls it the mute button with attitude. So unlike the little one on your remote.
CAROTHERS: When you do find it, it`s kind of like, excuse me, would you please discontinue speaking? Thank you. This mute button is a little bit more from the gut. Shut the -- you know.
MOOS: Smash Mute may be the must-have political novelty of 2012 to do what the president himself suggested.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Most of what you hear, you can pretty much just go mute.
MOOS: Mute you. And you, too.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (singing): Above the fruited --
MOOS: The button is selling on the Smash Mute website for $25. It`s easy to program by pointing it at your regular remote as if they`re mating. Perfect for the conservative wanting less of Michael Moore.
MICHAEL MOORE: And for me to come on here and to have to listen to that kind of crap. I mean, seriously.
MOOS (on camera): Good bye, Michael.
DONALD TRUMP: We have a president that doesn`t give a damn about inconveniencing people. And I want to talk about --
MOOS: You`re fired!
MOOS (voice-over): Smash Mute is the brain child of the same guy who sold 220,000 Hillary Clinton nutcrackers. Smash Mute`s even going after the dog demographic. It`s maker says Smash Mute was designed with those erectile dysfunction commercials in mind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, TELEVISION AD: So you can be ready any time the moment`s right.
CAROTHERS: When the time is right, hit the Smash Mute. That`s what I like to say.
MOOS: But there are so many moments when the time is right.
ROSIE O`DONNELL (singing): Or the land of the free.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, that, of course, is CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. She actually lent me her button and I`m very curious to see if -- pretty cool. All right.
As we move on tonight, I can tell you, Camille Grammer probably wishes she had one of these to shut up her ex-husband, Kelsey. He called his marriage to Camille a prison sentence this week. Camille`s "Real Housewives" co-star Taylor Armstrong is now calling Kelsey out right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAYLOR ARMSTRONG, "REAL HOUSEWIVES": I find it really hard to believe that someone with the financial resources and all the access that Kelsey had would stay in a marriage for 13 years if it were truly over.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wait until you see this next. It`s Taylor`s Kelsey blast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, Katie`s big return. Katie Couric`s surprising first guest for the kickoff of her new talk show. Also, Mariah`s "Idol" campaign. Why she wants Lenny Kravitz sitting next to her on "American Idol." Plus, "Real Housewives" versus Kelsey Grammer. Taylor Armstrong tells SHOWBIZ why she has her co-star Camille Grammer`s back. And that tops the "The Buzz Today."
Calling out Kelsey. "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Taylor Armstrong is jumping to the defense of co-star Camille Grammer. In a brand new interview with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Taylor blats Camille`s ex, Kelsey Grammer, for telling Oprah Winfrey in an interview that his marriage to Camille was over before it began.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TAYLOR ARMSTRONG, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS": Thirteen years. It was over before it began? I mean I stayed in my marriage far, far too long. My marriage was very different than theirs. I find it really hard to believe that someone with the financial resources and all of the access that Kelsey had would stay in a marriage for 13 years if it were truly over. It makes no sense to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Katie`s date with Jessica. Jessica Simpson`s about to open up to Katie Couric about her baby weight gain, juggling motherhood and her business empire. Couric just announced that she`s kicking off her new talk show "Katie" with the first interview with the new mom. This will be Simpson`s first public appearance since giving birth to daughter Maxwell. The premier episode of "Katie" will air September 10th.
Mariah lobbies for Lenny. Could Lenny Kravitz be the newest "American Idol" judge. Brand new "AI" judge Mariah Carey wants Kravitz at the judging table with her. Carey posted a picture of herself and Kravitz on Twitter with the message, "`American Idol,` what`s going on? Need the info. What about this combo? If we could ever get him to do it." Kravitz sounded open to the prospect tweeting back, "Mariah Carey, `American Idol.` Girl, we`ve known each other since we were teenagers. How fun would that be?"
Well, we move now from Hollywood icons to an `80s sex icon, Dr. Ruth Westheimer tackling your questions about sex and relationships with Dr. Drew and nothing is off limits. "Dr. Drew" starts right now.
END
