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Showbiz Tonight
Singing Shows Go Head to Head; Britney vs. Christina; Behind-the- Scenes Insights into `Titanic`; Sheryl Crow Blames Brain Tumor on Cell Phone; Brilliant or Bananas, Stars Exposing Themselves; Britney Goes Gangnam Style
Aired September 11, 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 it`s the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," "Reality Show Showdown." "The X Factor" goes to battle with The Voice. Britney Spears takes on Christina Aguilera. It`s the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," top five reality show showdowns. Will your favorite come out on top?
Hello and thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer.
We`ve got two big "SHOWBIZ Countdowns" tonight, including the top five stories breaking today that made us say, "Brilliant or Bananas"? The ladies of "The Talk" do their show with no makeup, including Sharon Osbourne, believe it or not. That`s coming up.
We begin tonight with another "SHOWBIZ Countdown" that also has Christina Aguilera caught right in the middle. Top five singing show showdowns. "The Voice" and "The X Factor," which both are kicking off their new seasons this week, with a showdown that pits Christina against Britney Spears versus fellow new judge Demi Lovato. Let the countdown begin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: With NBC`s "The Voice," debuting its new season last night, and FOX`s retooled "The X Factor" debuting Wednesday night, and both going against each other this week. The competition between these two competition shows is reaching a fever pitch.
Which is why "SHOWBIZ tonight" is counting down the top five "SHOWBIZ Singing Show Showdown."
At No. 5, "The X Factor" versus "The Voice" time slot showdown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: September 12 on FOX.
HAMMER: Simon Cowell of "The X Factor" was all set to make its biggest splash, debuting its brand-new judges Britney Spears and Demi Lovato on its premiere on Wednesday. That is, until NBC stole its thunder with a last-second change.
KIM SERAFIN, "INTOUCH WEEKLY": NBC then added a third night to "The Voice." It is also airing Wednesday night, up against "The X Factor."
HAMMER: Simon`s response? Well, we all know what he`s like when he`s in a bad mood.
SIMON COWELL, JUDGE, "THE X FACTOR" (via phone): I think it shows a disrespect to the audience.
HAMMER: Simon called into "TMZ Live" and lit into NBC and "The Voice" for violating what used to be a friendly competition between TV singing shows.
COWELL: This is a spoiling tactic to disrupt the premier of "The X Factor."
HAMMER: And that leads to our No. 4 "SHOWBIZ Singing Show Showdown," Britney versus Demi.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Britney Spears joins "The X Factor."
HAMMER: In a recent interview, Simon Cowell had no qualms about pitting his famous new "X Factor" judges and their judging styles against each other.
SERAFIN: He said, of course, Britney is very straightforward and maybe a little bit mean.
BRITNEY SPEARS, JUDGE, "THE X FACTOR": I want to know who let you onstage.
SERAFIN: But he also said that Demi, when she got booed the first time, when she made a call against one of the contestants, and the audience booed her, she got a little bit upset about it. She was a little bit intimidated.
DEMI LOVATO, JUDGE, "THE FACTOR": I would say that I`m a happy judge.
SERAFIN: Simon is now kind of setting it up like there`s maybe a little bit of a competition between Britney and Demi.
HAMMER: Britney and Demi also take us to No. 3 on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" or "Singing Show Showdowns." The judges versus Autotune.
Let`s face it. Both Britney and Demi have been accused, rightly or wrongly, of using some vocal enhancements in their hit songs, and in a first look at "The X Factor`s" new season revealed on "Entertainment Tonight," we see a contestant throw the Autotune accusations in Demi`s face.
LOVATO: A lot of people work really, really hard for their dreams, but it`s not meant for everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s why you use Autotune, and I don`t.
HAMMER: Singer John Legend, who`s a judge on the ABC singing show "Duets," took a not-so-veiled shot at Demi and Britney on "E! Online."
JOHN LEGEND, SINGER: It`s interesting when people that, you know, are judging singing competitions when they aren`t really singers.
HAMMER: Ouch. Low blow. But it begs the question: how will contestants and TV audiences feel about live singing being judged by two stars who have been accused of pretending they`re singing live?
Host of "The Voice" and possible host of "The X Factor" take us to No. 2 of the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of "Singing Show Showdowns." Carson versus Khloe. Carson Daly is the host of "The Voice" and his "X Factor" counterpart reportedly may be none other than Khloe Kardashian.
SERAFIN: It would definitely be a different dynamic that you`re seeing on the show.
HAMMER: And that takes to us the all-out faceoff. That is No. 1 in our "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of "Singing Show Showdowns." Britney versus Christina.
SERAFIN: This is the competition to watch.
HAMMER: Britney Spears` selection as a new "X Factor" judge revives an old story line: her long-running reported feud and rivalry with her fellow former Mousketeer, "The Voice" judge, Christina Aguilera.
CHRISTINA AGUILERA, JUDGE, "THE VOICE": Britney`s so talented.
HAMMER: Christina Aguilera welcomed Britney to the singing show wars during an interview with "Extra."
AGUILERA: It`s actually cool that, you know, these strong women are joining the club.
HAMMER: But even if Britney and Christina don`t see themselves as rivals, you better believe just about everyone else does.
SERAFIN: It`s not going to be about who`s the better performer, who`s the better dancer, who`s the better singer. This is now, I think, going to be more about who`s the better judge.
AGUILERA: That was awesome.
SPEARS: That was absolutely incredible.
HAMMER: And, of course, which is the better show, "The Voice" or "The X Factor"? Let the countdown to the battle begin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: The "SHOWBIZ Singing Show Showdown." Kind of a tough one to say. But you know, it`s also going to be a very tough competition in this brand-new TV season. Joining me now from Hollywood, Maggie Furlong from the Huffington Post and entertainment journalist Tila.
So guys, our No. 1 "SHOWBIZ Singing Show Showdown," as you heard it, the new "X Factor" judge, Britney, Spears going up against her perceived rival, Christina Aguilera from "The Voice." Now Maggie, here`s our "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" on this: who, in your mind, will come out on top when Britney and Christina face off and thrown down tomorrow night?
MAGGIE FURLONG, HUFFINGTON POST: Oh, God. I love this face-off. I grew up with them on "Mickey Mouse Club," bought all their singles. This is like my face-off. I`m obsessed.
I really do think it`s going to be an interesting one, and I kind of have to give it to Britney. As much as I love "The Voice" and I love Christina on it, we`ve seen her on "The Voice" now. This is their third season, and it will be a third night this week.
I think on Wednesday, people are going to tune in to see Britney to see, hopefully, a train wreck or something exciting, and then -- and then maybe it will fizzle out and even out, but to start, for sure Britney. For sure.
HAMMER: I have to agree with you, because obviously, there`s going to be a huge curiosity factor. A lot of people are going to be tuning in.
Obviously, Tila, these two women have very different personalities, will bring something different to competition shows on television, but as far as tomorrow night, who wins the showdown for you, Britney or Christina?
TILA: By a landslide it`s going to be "X Factor." I mean, we need to see Britney in this position. We haven`t really seen her, like, speak out loud for herself in how many years? It feels like she`s been on lockdown for a very long time, and here for the first, we`re actually going to see her be kind of like be a normal human being. Who is not fascinated by this?
The long-term ratings? That`s a completely different story. You know, there`s a burn out in general with all these singing competition shows. So I don`t know if any one of them is really going to stand out that big for the other one. Episode No. 1, Britney is going to take this by a long shot.
HAMMER: And hopefully, the lockdown will end, too. I`m just so concerned that she`ll be a little too reserved, but we`ll have to wait and see it all together.
And as we just saw, Demi and Britney, the new judges on "The X Factor" stirring up a little controversy, because we`re hearing some people question whether or not they`re even fit to judge live singers. Maggie, do you think the possibility they may just get a little bit of electronic assistance while they`re singing could actually kill their credibility?
FURLONG: I think any artist who was questioning this would freely admit that they also get a little bit of help in the studio. Everybody has a little bit of a knock here and there, a little bit of a level here and there. Some more than others. Obviously, Autotune is a totally different situation.
But there`s no doubt these girls are both very, very talented singers, and whether or not you like their music, they can sell music, and I think that`s what it`s all about. They`ve done it, and they can judge it.
TILA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Here`s the only problem I have with that. The only problem I have with that is just because you`re a talented singer or you`re a good musician doesn`t mean that you`re an expert at judging talent. Some like Jimmy Iovine, Elliott Reed, those are the guys that you would expect. They`re producers. That`s what they do for a living.
In the same way that just because you`re good at basketball doesn`t mean you`re necessarily a good coach. So this is strictly for ratings. Bringing Britney Spears on, I don`t see her as an expert on music or talent, not even close.
HAMMER: She may prove you wrong. We`ll find out tomorrow. Maggie Furlong, Tila, thank you both.
Also Christina Aguilera has landed in the middle of another "SHOWBIZ Countdown" tonight. Did her super skimpy outfit on the debut of "The Voice" highlight her assets just a little too much? Did Jessica Simpson reveal way too much about her weight loss struggle when she co-hosted "GMA" this morning? Just two of the wild stories in tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of breaking news that has us asking, "Brilliant or Bananas"?
And Britney`s bold new moves.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, TALK SHOW HOST: You actually tweeted out that you want to learn that dance, right?
SPEARS: Yes.
DEGENERES: All right. So I got somebody here to teach you that dance. Psy, come on out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wait until you see Britney going "Gagnam Style" on "Ellen."
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, Oprah gets old? Well, Oprah Winfrey just tweeted this picture of herself looking 20 years older. No, she didn`t age two decades overnight. The look is for her new role in the new movie, "The Butler."
And can you guess who that is right next to Oprah there? Unbelievable as it may seem, that is Lenny Kravitz. Seriously. He`s going from rocker to distinguished gentleman for his role in "The Butler." Can`t wait to see that movie, coming out next year.
And coming up, Christina Aguilera lets it all hang out on the debut of "The Voice." Just one of the stories breaking today in our "SHOWBIZ Countdown," "Brilliant or Bananas?"
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATE WINSLET, ACTRESS: Like I vanished. Like I ceased from being the subject of my own life to become the object of others`.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is Kate`s screen test. Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet in action there, trying out for her breakout role in the blockbuster "Titanic."
Fans of the movie are going to get to see a whole lot more of Kate`s screen test on the new Blu-Ray 3-D release of this epic film.
"Titanic" director James Cameron is really leaving nothing on the cutting-room floor with his Blu-Ray and Blu-Ray 3-D release of the movie.
Over the years, there have been dozens of epic tales about what really happened on the set of the movie while it was being made. So I asked the iconic director to set the record straight on some of them. Wait until you hear if it`s really true that clam chowder spiked with angel dust actually got served to the crew on the film. And James reveals a big secret right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about "Avatar."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: According to the Internet -- not always reliable, by the way...
JAMES CAMERON, DIRECTOR: No, I`ve heard that.
HAMMER: ... the studio wanted Matthew McConaughey, and you wanted Leo DiCaprio for the role of Jack. True or false?
CAMERON: True. Well, you want an explanation? I thought this was a true or false.
HAMMER: Please embellish if you feel -- if you feel compelled.
CAMERON: I think they didn`t feel strongly about Leo, and I hadn`t done a screen test of Leo, because he didn`t want to do that. So they had to take my word for it. I`d seen him read and audition for the character, and he was spectacular. He was the guy.
HAMMER: OK.
CAMERON: The hardest part was not convincing the studio; it was convincing Leo. It took me five or six weeks to talk him into the role.
HAMMER: Well, I`m sure he still thanks you in a big way to this day.
True or false: most of the ocean which extras were jumping into was three feet deep.
CAMERON: That`s correct. Well, when they were jumping off the ship and falling a long ways, they were jumping into what we call the jumping trough so they wouldn`t break their legs. The rest of the ocean surface that you saw was three feet deep, and the trick was not to hit the edge.
HAMMER: This is why people love working for you, because you see to their health and their well-being...
CAMERON: That`s right.
HAMMER: ... not just doing a good film together.
CAMERON: We didn`t lose anybody.
HAMMER: No actors lost in the filming of this film.
The late Gloria Stewart wonderful in this film, obviously being only 86, was aged by makeup to play Rose at age 101, and she did not find this a pleasant experience.
CAMERON: No. Any -- any woman`s vanity is going to be challenged by that. To be 86 and be further aged. But Greg Cannon did a beautiful job of making her older and still beautiful.
HAMMER: Excellent. And this I found to be the strangest one, but these have more or less been all true so far, so I have a feeling I know where this is going.
CAMERON: You`re on a role.
HAMMER: On the final night of shooting -- do you know where this is going? -- in Nova Scotia, a prankster mixed angel dust into the clam chowder, served to the cast and crew. Eighty people were taken ill, 50 hospitalized with hallucinations. When you realized what was going on, you forced yourself to vomit before the drug took effect?
CAMERON: That`s correct. I actually thought that I was suffering from a paralytic neurotoxin from the shellfish, because it was a muscle chowder.
HAMMER: Right.
CAMERON: And so I didn`t want to lose any production time, so I just went. And by the time I came back, everybody was, you know, coming on to what turned out to be PCP.
Hardly a prankster. I would call it a criminal. A little bit beyond a practical joke, you know, when 86 people go to the hospital.
HAMMER: Obviously you also made history with "Avatar," which also ranks as many people`s favorite film of all time. And I know you`re getting set, I guess, your pre-production now for "Avatars" 2 and 3. You`ll be filming those back to back?
CAMERON: Yes. Kind of a combined schedule, if you will. So we`ll use the same -- sets that appear in both films.
HAMMER: Help me out here, James. Because I`ve been reading a lot and seeing what people have been talking about and asking you about in some instances. Give me something that`s going to surprise people that they don`t know yet that we`re going to see in this film.
CAMERON: OK. Well, here`s something. Now that I`m deep into writing the scripts, that I can drop another tidbit. I mean, people that already know that the oceans of Pandora are going to be involved and some other habitats on the planet. And there will be a lot of new creatures and characters and, you know, the themes, the sort of environmental themes will continue, but it`s still just going to be, you know, a big epic adventure.
But I think one thing I haven`t said is that it`s going to be a multi- generational epic, meaning it`s not only Jake and Neytiri, but it`s their children and the next generation, as well.
HAMMER: Moving forward.
CAMERON: Moving forward across the arc of the two films, 2 and 3.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: A scoop there. James Cameron also told me that he`s trying to somehow resurrect Sigourney Weaver`s character in the next "Avatar" movie.
And be sure to pick up your copy of "Titanic" out on Blu-Ray and Blu- Ray 3-D right now.
Well, we are moving from James Cameron`s brilliant mind to the stories that are breaking today that have us asking, "Brilliant or Bananas?" I`m talking about the new link between old exes Rihanna and Chris Brown. First, Rihanna gets a huge new tattoo on her chest. Then Chris Brown gets some fresh ink on his neck. Was it brilliance for the pair to get some serious attention in this way?
Plus, the Kardashians` fertility confession. Khloe revealing to the world her struggle to get pregnant, while Kim tells everyone she`s freezing her eggs. Are the Kardashians just plain bananas for revealing such intimate details to the cameras? Will -- where will the Kardashians` candor wind up on our "SHOWBIZ Countdown," "Brilliant or Bananas?"
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Sheryl Crow`s bombshell. Just a couple of months ago, the Grammy Award-winning rocker revealed that she had a benign brain tumor. Well, on Katie Couric`s brand-new talk show, Crow is now revealing she actually believes her brain tumor was caused by her cell phone. Let`s watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERYL CROW, SINGER: It`s actually -- I say it`s in my cell-phone area, and there are no doctors that will confirm -- confirm that.
But I did have a conversation with Sanjay Gupta about it, and I do have the theory that, you know, it`s possible that it`s related to that, because early, early days when I was promoting my first record, I did hours of phoners on what -- you know, the old archaic cell phones.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: With me right now in New York is Dr. Richard Hersheim, who specializes in family and preventative medicine. I appreciate you being here, Doc.
So you heard Sheryl say right there she believes that, yes, it was her cell phone that caused this benign brain tumor. I remember all the chatter about this all those years ago. Do you think this really could be possible?
DR. RICHARD HERSHEIM, PHYSICIAN: Well, last year the World Health Organization came out and said that cell phones were in the same category of risks as asbestos and lead and the gasoline that is emitted from gas stations. So there`s a serious risk that the World Health Organization feels is there.
The problem is that there`s been no other major study that`s been performed that actually has shown that cell-phone use actually increases the risk of this type of cancer, called immunogioma.
The big fear I have is, and I think a lot of people have is, well, OK, but 10 or 15 years from now. So it`s quite possible that we just don`t have the numbers to actually indicate that these cell phones actually lead to permanent problems, like brain tumors.
Now, there is one type of brain tumor which the World Health Organization actually found was linked to it, called a gioma. It`s a very rare tumor. This type of tumor is very common, actually. It occurs in 1 to 2 percent of the population, and it`s a serious -- obviously, a serious issue, but is generally benign in 90 percent of the cases of people who have it.
Personally, look, I think people need to be concerned about cell-phone use until the studies are in. Take the precautions that are necessary.
HAMMER: Absolutely. Keep that earphone in and keep that cell phone away from your head. All right, Doctor.
HERSHEIM: And one other point, particularly in children, just make sure that you know, keep it away that -- you know, skulls are thinner -- keep it away from kids until the studies are in. I think that`s a valid point to take.
HAMMER: Excellent point. Thanks, Dr. Hersheim. Appreciate it.
Moving on, here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: You actually tweeted that you wanted to learn that dance, right?
SPEARS: Yes.
DEGENERES: So I got somebody here to teach you that dance. Psy, come on out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Britney gets schooled "Gagnam Style." K-Pop`s sensation Psy teaches the dance queen some new tricks on "Ellen," all from the global viral music video. I`m going to show you how Britney did.
Also Jessica Simpson on the hot seat as a special guest host on "GMA" this morning. How did she do taking on the world of morning TV?
And Christina Aguilera front and center on the debut "The Voice." Well, at least part of her was front and center. How much did she show? Was it too much?
Five stories breaking today that made us say "Brilliant or Bananas?"
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Christina Aguilera`s chesty reveal on "The Voice." Does she like her cleavage a little too much?
And Rihanna`s braless tribute to her grandma. Is it all TMI? Stars expose it all by stripping down and telling all.
But will Christina`s outdo Rihanna`s breast intentions?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counts down the top five stars who let it all hang out in the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," "Brilliant or Bananas?"
SHOWBIZ Countdown continues right now.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m AJ Hammer. And tonight, in the SHOWBIZ countdown, brilliant or bananas?
We were simply overwhelmed today by the mindboggling number of brand new stories all about Hollywood`s biggest stars exposing themselves, showing, telling, revealing, making their lives open books. And that had us asking the question tonight, is it brilliant or bananas?
We are kicking things off at number five with good morning, Jessica. All eyes were on Jessica Simpson`s new slimmed down, post-baby figure this morning as she stepped right in as the first official guest host on ABC`s "Good Morning America," filling in for Robin Roberts.
Yes, you heard me, Jessica Simpson filling in as a guest host on the number one morning news show in America. Let us watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, CO-HOST, GOOD MORNING AMERICA: It`s great to have you here.
JESSICA SIMPSON, SINGER: Thank you. It`s so great to be here. It`s an honor to be here for Robin.
STEPHANOPOULOS: We`re so glad to have you here for Robin. A little nervous is OK.
SIMPSON: No, it`s just chaos.
STEPHANOPOULOS: That is true.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is chaos.
(CROSSTALK)
SIMPSON: That`s a lot of information really early.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We got a glimpse of you backstage and you were cramming this morning, a little bit, right?
SIMPSON: I was, I was studying. I got -- you know. Have big shoes to fill today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Big shoes indeed. And while Jessica kicks her return to the spotlight into gear sharing every detail of her 40-pound plus weight loss struggle and new life as a new mom, is what she`s doing brilliant or bananas?
Let`s get this party started right now with Maggie Furlong from "The Huffington Post," joining me from Hollywood tonight. Also with me from Hollywood, for this reality check, reality star and celebrity publicist Kita Williams, best known, of course, for her co-starring role on VH1`s "TO Show."
And Maggie, may I begin with you? Jessica, putting herself out there this morning, trying to fill the seat of co-host on the most popular morning show on television, brilliant or bananas?
MAGGIE FURLONG, HUFFPOST TV: Brilliant because it is so bananas. In all honesty, I didn`t think she could pull it off, and I think she did a great job, reminding people that she`s just a normal girl. She, you know, had to bone up. She joked about having to have a little cram session before they went on air. I think it`s a genius to get herself out there. It`s even more exposure for her Weight Watchers campaign. And I think it`s brilliant.
HAMMER: Yes. And she talked about being a new mom just before showcasing her fashion line. Wait a second, brilliant right there. You co-host the show, you plug your fashion line. Do the math, I think it makes sense. Then there was this classic Jessica moment. Let us watch it together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I think, Jessica, you`re about to be put to the test, your anchoring skills? Instructions from the control room?
SIMPSON: Here we go.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Jessica, here`s Denise. Can you hear me?
SIMPSON: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I need you to talk to George now. We can do the next story, please.
SIMPSON: You need me to what?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Toss to George.
SIMPSON: Hi, George. What are we going to talk about? What`s going on?
STEPHANOPOULOS: I`m right over here. We`re going to talk about the latest camper trend.
SIMPSON: Right behind you. Hi.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Well, look, you got to love the way that Jessica laughs at herself. And she`s not really an anchor. But it really goes to show you that here in life you get basically two Jessicas. On the one hand, of course, she`s this brilliant billionaire businesswoman. On the other hand, you have to ask yourself, what`s she thinking?
Kita, what do you think of the whole move? Brilliant or bananas?
KITA WILLIAMS, CELEBRITY PUBLICIST: I agree with Molly. It`s a crazy thing. Jessica Simpson has been known to be somewhat of a brilliant airhead. But you know ultimately I think it`s a great for her. Women that have kids, I think it`s important for them to see that you just don`t just drop the weight just because you`re getting paid millions of dollars.
I think it`s good that she`s putting herself out there and showing out that she`s a little bit more curvaceous than most women have put out there that are celebrities that have had babies. She`s not a stick figure. She`s definitely got some curves for you.
HAMMER: OK.
WILLIAMS: And I think it`s a good thing that she`s showing that to America.
HAMMER: And by the way, you get a banana tonight for calling Maggie Molly. But I`m not going to, you know, go too deep into that.
(LAUGHTER)
WILLIAMS: Oh, Maggie.
HAMMER: There you go. I just introduce -- there you go.
WILLIAMS: Molly.
HAMMER: All right. Anyway, let`s move on. Because, you know, talk about putting yourself out there. Getting on to number four on the SHOWBIZ countdown, the ladies of "The Talk," some of my favorite people on TV, they were the talk of everyone today. They ditched their makeup, the hair, all the frills for the first show of the new season. Let`s watch together how they kicked it all off today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIE CHEN, CO-HOST, "THE TALK": Do not adjust your TV set. This is what we all really look like without makeup on. Now we didn`t want to do this alone, so our entire studio audience is also makeup free.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Pretty bold move to go makeup free, especially when you have so many people watching them, and knowing these ladies, I don`t think they would be ashamed to hear me say that many of them actually really do care a great deal about how they look on television, but I applaud them. I think they look great.
Kita, will it help more women relate to who they really are as women. Do you think it was brilliant or bananas?
WILLIAMS: I think it was a brilliant hot mess. I really do. I think it`s a great thing to show -- first of all, I`m not one that likes to go out of the house without a lash. But you know for them to be on air showing the women of America that, listen, you know what, it`s important to be who you are. You don`t need bronzer, you don`t need blush, you don`t need lipstick, just be who you are.
And I think it`s a great message to love yourself the way you are, not to worry about anything else cosmetic wise. But trust me when I tell you, that had to take some guts to do.
HAMMER: Yes. And, Maggie, look, we`ve seen this done before. I just think the ladies of "The Talk" took it to a whole new level today. But what was your take, brilliant or bananas?
FURLONG: Brilliant. I think this is the most we`ve talked about "The Talk" since "The Talk" premiered. I think they needed to do something huge to let people know, hey, we`re just like you, we want to be in your living rooms every day, come and spend time with us, and look, you can look like this, too. And we can hang out. I think Sharon looked amazing, but Julie Chen, that was a little shocking.
HAMMER: And the ladies of "The Talk," you know I love you all.
We move now from the women of "The Talk" creating quite the buzz. At number three on the SHOWBIZ countdown, it`s Rihanna`s new ink. Look at this. It`s a brand new tattoo. She just revealed this to the world and it had us asking, brilliant or bananas?
I`d like to bring in now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, she`s in Hollywood.
Now, Nischelle, Rihanna, of course, has quite a bit of ink all over that body of hers. Why is this one causing such a stir?
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know what, AJ, all of this buzz started when Rihanna added this tattoo over the weekend. Now she did it. It`s of an Egyptian goddess, and she said she did it in tribute to her grandmother who recently passed away. But now Rihanna`s goddess has been one-upped by her ex-boyfriend, Chris Brown, who was also sporting new ink today.
And AJ, this one, a doozy. Look at this. Chris Brown has a new tattoo of a woman on his neck. Look familiar? Maybe. Some people are saying this woman`s face bears a striking resemblance to Rihanna. So let`s take a little look here. Put them up side by side. The tattoo and a picture of Rihanna. I`m going to let it sit in for just a second before I tell you this because a representative for Chris Brown did tell us today that Chris` tattoo is not, I repeat, is not Rihanna.
But there you have it. You be the judge. I don`t know. What do you think?
HAMMER: Yes. Well, I was looking very closely at it while you were doing the big reveal there, and I have to say it would be a very abstract Rihanna there in that tattoo on Chris Brown`s neck. Maybe, maybe when he bends his neck to the side, you know, maybe all of a sudden it kind of forms more of a Rihanna face, but he denies it, so there you have it.
All right, Nischelle, thank you very much.
Let me go to Kita on this one. And Kita, I don`t know about you but I got to give it to both Rihanna and Chris Brown. Once again, whether it was their intention or not, although they did put the pictures out there, they`ve gotten themselves some big publicity and no harm done. So as a publicist to the stars, it`s got to seem brilliant to you, doesn`t it?
WILLIAMS: You know what, I used to work with both Chris Brown and Rihanna, and I`m just going to tell you, they`re both bananas when it comes to being creative because that`s what it takes to be successful. But it is brilliant. Because you know yet again, they`re in -- they`re in the public eye and they`re constantly being talked about. And it`s an expression of who they are.
Now I don`t know about getting a tattoo underneath my rib cage, underneath my boobies there, but to each his own. For Rihanna, that`s a statement to Grand Grand Ali, and let -- may her soul rest in peace, and I think it`s a beautiful thing in honor of her name, but in terms of getting inked up on the neck and underneath the breast, maybe not the best idea. But for those two, it`s brilliant.
HAMMER: And I agree with you, and I think, look, they probably didn`t get the tattoos for the publicity, but they certainly put them out there well knowing we`d all be sitting right here talking about it.
Now, we still haven`t revealed number one on our SHOWBIZ countdown.
WILLIAMS: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Brilliant or bananas, just when we thought we had seen it all, the stars have proven us wrong once again, exposing more than we`ve ever imagined. So number one on the SHOWBIZ countdown, brilliant or bananas? That`s coming right up.
Maggie, Kita, stay right where you are.
And as we move on tonight, did you see this? It seems like everyone wants to learn how to dance Gangnam Style these days. Korean pop star Psy made it a big YouTube phenomenon and it caught the eye of none other than the "X Factor" judge Britney Spears. You got to see how this turned out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "ELLEN": You actually tweeted out the "you want to learn that dance," right?
BRITNEY SPEARS, "X FACTOR": Yes.
DEGENERES: All right. So I got somebody here to teach you that dance.
Psy, come on out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Hope you`re ready, it is time now to reveal who is number one on our SHOWBIZ countdown of stars who have just exposed themselves from skimpy clothes to private information which has us asking, brilliant or bananas?
Here`s who made our top five so far. At number five, Jessica in the hot seat. Jessica Simpson showing off her post-baby body to promote herself this morning by guest-hosting "Good Morning America." And at number four, the ladies of "The Talk" become the talk and they`re taking it all off. They went makeup free as they kicked off the new season.
And at number three, Rihanna`s new ink. Everybody is buzzing about Rihanna`s newest tattoo reportedly paying a tribute to her late grandmother. And that brings us to number two in our SHOWBIZ countdown, the Kardashian`s baby bonanza? Well, we all know when it comes to oversharing, the Kardashians are never shy about that, right? In an all- new episode of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," Kim and Khloe revealed plans to ensure there will be more Kardashian babies on the way. Let us watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KHLOE KARDASHIAN, "KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS": But why do you want to go?
KIM KARDASHIAN, "KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS": Just because I want to, like, maybe, like, freeze my eggs or something. Because if you`ve been like actively trying to have a baby for, like, years, two years, and you haven`t gotten pregnant, it`s just like you never know in life. You know? Have you gone to, like, a real fertility specialist?
KHLOE KARDASHIAN: The gynecologist hasn`t said I should.
KIM KARDASHIAN: I`m going and I`m, like, not even trying to get pregnant.
KHLOE KARDASHIAN: Right. But then what if I don`t hear what I want to hear? And then --
KIM KARDASHIAN: Then you think --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then you move forward.
KIM KARDASHIAN: Then you figure it out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Queue the dramatic gynecologist music? Let me bring back Maggie Furlong from the "Huffington Post" and celebrity publicist Kita Williams.
I mean, really, Maggie, the Kardashians, you know, they let those camera as roll, no holds barred, even with their struggles with fertility. To you, is it brilliant or bananas?
FURLONG: I think it`s brilliant. You know we can write all day about Khloe, will she be the host of "X Factor" or not, and no one cares. We write a single thing about anything they`ve said on "Kardashian" and millions of people click on it.
People love this family because they are so real. They are big over- sharers. I mean let`s be honest, there are no limits to what they`ll show us on TV. And I think this is a struggle that a lot of people go through. I mean I`m pregnant now, and I have a million people coming up to me, telling me, oh, I`ve been trying, blah, blah, blah. People relate to Khloe now and this is why.
HAMMER: Yes.
FURLONG: Because she shows it all.
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, really, there are not a lot of ways that the Kardashians are truly relatable. It`s more like something we watch purely for entertainment value, but you`re right, this is something that a lot of people identify with.
Kita, we know this doesn`t always work, though. Is this the plan you tell your clients to follow? If you`re repping the Kardashians and they told you they wanted to do this, would you tell them brilliant or bananas?
WILLIAMS: I disagree. I think it`s bananas, to be honest with you. I mean I really think we`re pushing the envelope. I mean at this point I don`t want to know about her period, I don`t want to know about her ovulation calendar, I don`t want to go to the clinic with her about these babies. I don`t know -- I don`t want to know how many eggs she had to reproduce.
My thing is, I think it reaches a point where enough is enough. And I would literally tell them, like I always say, to have a seat, because there are some things I think that should be kept private. You know? And it -- at some point we`re going to see a Kardashian fertility clinic, leave it to Kris Jenner.
HAMMER: Yes.
WILLIAMS: But, you know, it`s just a -- it`s just way too much information for us.
HAMMER: Yes. Soon enough we`ll see a Facebook page for Khloe`s eggs. I don`t know.
Well, we have arrived now. It is time for the big reveal, and boy, was it a big reveal. Number one on the SHOWBIZ countdown of stars exposing themselves that had us asking brilliant or bananas, and there`s no question in my mind that Christina Aguilera takes the prize front and center, and I do mean front and center.
Last night on the debut of the new season of "The Voice," Christina made sure everyone would see that she was letting it all hang out. Let`s roll.
Hello. Maggie, Christina just said in a new interview she loves her body, and her booty, for that matter, but for her to make sure everyone noticed and show up on national TV with her breasts half exposed as she did last night, brilliant or bananas?
FURLONG: Forget bananas, this is melons. This is, like, a whole new level of fruit. I honestly think there are six judges on the voice. We`ve got Blake, we`ve got Adam, we`ve got Silo, we`ve got Christina, and then we have lefty and righty in all sorts of forms, too.
(LAUGHTER)
FURLONG: She`s showing a lot. I don`t need to see it. Good for her for embracing her curves.
HAMMER: Yes.
FURLONG: But, like, put some pants on, maybe. Maybe?
HAMMER: There`s a party going on on "The Voice" every week.
All right, we`ll leave it there. Maggie Furlong, Kita Williams, I appreciate you both being here tonight.
And as we move on, it is the dance craze sweeping the nation with almost 150 million views so far. You have probably seen the video for Gangnam Style. Well, now YouTube sensation and Korean pop star Psy teaches Britney Spears how to do the dance, and trust me, you definitely do not want to miss this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEGENERES: It looks -- it looks easier than it is, but it`s like a two and then one, right? How do you do it? You have to take your shoes off. You`re not going to be able to dance like that.
PSY, KOREAN POP STAR: No, this is fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is time now for the SHOWBIZ Buzz list. Here`s what SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s staff is buzzing all about this week. You want to strap on your stilettos, it is Fashion Week in New York City. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is all over the biggest fashion shows and designers who are in town all weeklong.
We are powering up for JJ Abrams` brand new drama, "Revolution." It`s about what happens to the world when it loses all of its electricity forever. Can you imagine?
We`re curling up with a good book for fall called "NW" by Zadie Smith. All about a friendship between two very different girls growing up in a tough area of northwest London.
We`re psyched about Kanye West`s new compilation "Cruel Summer" features that much talked-about Kim Kardashian song called "A Perfect B." That`s out next week.
And our hearts continue to go on for James Cameron`s masterpiece "Titanic" out on 3D and 2D Blu-ray today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, ACTOR: Open your eyes.
KATE WINSLET, ACTRESS: I`m flying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PSY: One, two, three, four.
TURNER: One, two, three, four.
PSY: You got it. And then it kind of like goes like this. Like you`re riding a horse. One, two, three, four.
TURNER: One, two, three, four.
PSY: You got it.
TURNER: Baby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Look at her go. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner goes all Gangnam Style at the VMA with Korean YouTube viral sensation Psy. Nischelle made that look pretty easy, but what do you think happened when Psy taught Britney Spears to dance? And we have that brand new video.
Did you see this? Before Britney debuts as a judge on "The X Factor" tomorrow night, she is going Gangnam Style today. Psy`s viral music video has nearly 150 million hits. So popular even Britney tweeted that she wanted to learn the dance. So check out what happened when Ellen DeGeneres shocked Britney today with a one-on-one dance lesson with Psy himself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPEARS: Show me.
DEGENERES: It looks -- it looks easier than it is, but it`s like a two and then one, right? How do you do it? You have to take your shoes off. You`re not going to be able to dance like that.
PSY: No. This is -- this is fine because -- because mindset of this dance is dresses classy and dance cheesy. So --
DEGENERES: OK.
PSY: This is nice.
DEGENERES: All right.
PSY: All right? So something like.
DEGENERES: How do you do it?
PSY: One, two and three and four.
DEGENERES: One and two and three and four.
PSY: Why don`t you try?
DEGENERES: One and two and three and four.
PSY: And hands got to be soft like this and bounce like you`re riding a invisible horse. Like, bounce like and then goes like this one. Let`s have the music. One, two, three, four.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s pretty good. I love seeing them dance together. I think Psy should do the choreography for Brit`s next tour.
So Emma Watson may look harmless, but there`s new evidence tonight that the one-time "Harry Potter" star could be a danger to you. And I am going to tell you why, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight Michael Strahan scores for live. There is brand new evidence today to prove Michael Strahan is Kelly Ripa`s perfect co-host.
And the dangerous Emma Watson? There`s new report that says Emma is one of the most dangerous names in showbiz. We`ve got the details on the buzz today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Emma`s virus? Emma Watson has just been named the world`s most dangerous celebrity on the Web. A brand new study from the Internet security firm McAfee names Emma Watson as the top star name cyber criminals use to lure fans to Web sites, which can infect computers with viruses. The "Harry Potter" star replaces Heidi Klum which McAfee`s most dangerous cyber celebrity last year. Jessica Biel and Eva Mendez round out the top three.
Michael`s big touchdown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: New "Live" host Michael Strahan has a big win in his hands. "Live with Kelly and Michael" has just announced that the show has scored the program`s highest rated season premier week in six years. After a long search, the former New York Giant star debuted as Kelly Ripa`s permanent co-host on September 4th, after Regis Philbin bid farewell last November.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It`s so great having Michael on that chair. Well, tonight, a parent`s worst nightmare. Teen drunk driving. And Dr. Drew is going one- on-one with family members who`ve lost their teenage loved ones from drunk driving. And Dr. Drew starts right now on HLN.
END
