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Showbiz Tonight
Personal Celeb Stories of the Superstorm; Celebrities are Supporting the Candidates in the Presidential Election
Aired November 05, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: SHOWBIZ on location. "The View" co-hosts share personal superstorm stories, and they tell me what they`re doing to help those who are still struggling. Tonight the ladies offer messages of hope and healing for New York and beyond.
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer.
And tonight two epic stories intertwined. Life after Superstorm Sandy. Millions of people are obviously facing some unbelievable challenges tonight as they recover from the most devastating superstorm to hit the northeast in 100 years.
This on the eve of election day. Americans everywhere are getting ready to vote for president. The most powerful office in the world is up for grabs. Two men, two agendas, one vote. So what influence will Hollywood and social media have on the race for the White House?
But first tonight, SHOWBIZ on location at "The View." The ladies of "The View" are right there at the center of the storm impact zone. So the devastation literally hits home for them. And now they`re working to do something about it.
Today the ladies took part in ABC`s Day of Giving, a campaign to raise money for hurricane relief. And I spoke with the co-hosts about why this is so personal to them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: How are you personally affected through this whole week?
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW": Bottom line, we`re OK. We lost power. Kids were pretty scared. We actually couldn`t get out of our street for a little bit.
But best-case scenario in my area, there are a lot of people who lost their homes, kids that can`t go back to their rooms right now. It`s getting cold at night.
So I think the best thing that`s happening around that is that they -- the community`s really joining together and have just seen, like, neighbors reaching out to neighbors. And it`s -- that`s the remarkable thing. Because you`ve got devastation, pure devastation at a time when things are already bad.
So it`s not a good mix. But at least the spirit of, you know, those that are around you can pick you up when you`re down.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW": Hurricanes don`t care what you believe. Devastation does not care what your political party is. It doesn`t care what color you are. It doesn`t care your background. Devastation is devastation. And so people recognize in times like this that all we have is each other. That`s the bottom line. We`re all we got.
And so if we can`t pick each other up, what`s the point, you know? What`s the point of it? What is the -- what makes us human is what we`re doing now.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW": And I feel very bad for people in Staten Island and parts of New Jersey and Long Island also. I mean, I`m going to send money to a Long Island fund, because I think that they have had a terrible time.
Long Beach and Rockaway and Breezy Point and those places have had a terrible time. So we`re all -- you know, we`re worried about people. It really -- it hits you right in the kishkas (ph), you know, because it`s right here.
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW": It`s a terrible time for everyone to face what happened.
On the other hand, it`s a wonderful time, because we did come together. And if we can offer them a little cheer on "The View," it`s not much for us to donate just our time.
HAMMER: Well, it`s important. Entertainment is important: making people smile and laugh is important. And of course, on the eve of election day and the chaos that will now ensue as a result of Hurricane Sandy, I`m sure, is something that`s on your mind, as somebody who has covered elections for a time.
WALTERS: Yes. This is the 12th election I`m covering. I can`t believe it is, but it is an hour beyond election night, along with Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos. ABC has such a great team.
But when I look back, I think some of the great differences. Because the debates were more important than they ever have been before. I think the wives, the role of the wives in humanizing their husbands. That`s more than I have seen before.
This is a time when we`re not fighting a big war. That`s different. And all of these things combined are making it such a close election that it`s going to be a very exciting evening to do, and nobody has any idea how it`s going to end. But we know one thing. There will be a president.
HAMMER: How wonderful that ABC and Disney are getting together to do this Day of Giving that you guys helped push along today. It really is inspiring to see everybody coming together this way.
WALTERS: ABC and Disney, they`ve raised $9 million. So...
HAMMER: And that was just as the end of your show.
WALTERS: That`s right. But you know, I was on "Good Morning America" this morning, answering phones for people who called in to give money. A woman who was in Social Security disability and gave $30. A veteran who said listen, let me give $25. And I hope that every veteran will give $25. I mean, whatever they could give, they would give. Not just the huge donations. But the extent to which people came together. It`s the only silver lining that I can see.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Such a smart program they put together. ABC and Disney expect to bring in so many millions for the Day of Giving.
And if you want to do your part, you can. It`s really easy. You just text "redcross" to 90999. You can also donate online by going to RedCross.org.
Always so heartening to me, I`m sure to you, how in the face of such great tragedy, there are so many heroes among us. And there have been no shortage of them in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.
With me in New York, HLN`s Jane Velez-Mitchell, who stayed with the story as it unfolded all last week. With me from Philadelphia tonight, Sheryl Lee Ralph, the author of the book "Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original Dreamgirl." It is now a "New York Times" best seller. Great to have you both here.
And we all watched Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker and all the things that this guy has done. And he is being hailed a superhero. Not only in his hometown. But if you`re following along on Twitter, the Twitterverse is going nuts. Everybody is supporting his never-ending generosity.
Listen to this. This guy not only opened his home to his neighbors. He ordered lunch for them. He invited them to relax at his home, watch DVDs. He also used Twitter constantly to get the addresses of families who were in need so that he could help them. But Mayor Booker, of course, being humble, he brushed off the superhero status in an interview with CNN`s Piers Morgan. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR CORY BOOKER, (D) NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: There`s a lot of people in Newark right now, showing extraordinary acts of kindness, compassion, proactive service to their -- to their neighbors. And my house borders a street, homestead that does not have power. And those neighbors are always good to me, looking after me, because I`m so often not home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And of course, he`s right. So many people doing what whatever they can to help.
But Sheryl, let me start with you. Obviously, there are a lot of people who think this guy has simply gone above and beyond the call of duty.
SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS/AUTHOR: I`m beginning to think that he could leap a tall building in a single bound. My goodness gracious, what can`t Cory Booker do right about now? This is the same man that ran into a burning building to rescue some people just a few months ago.
Look, he is the mayor of a city that is very, very challenged. If he is going to such lengths for his constituents, I say go, Cory, go.
HAMMER: Yes, yes. And a lot of respect for him. And like I said, I`ve been following him on Twitter, which has just been entertaining and also heartwarming to do.
So we move now from a mayor opening his home to strangers, to specialized nurses, just literally opening up their arms to these fragile newborns, carrying them to safety down nine flights of stairs without any power. This is just what nurse Margot Condon from NYU Langone Medical Center did.
The generators at the hospital went out. They failed during the hurricane. So she and some other nurses from the unit moved 20 babies. And I`m talking about some really sick children here, some of them just hours old. There she is manually pumping oxygen into the baby`s tiny lungs as she`s carried down on a stretcher.
CNN`s Anderson Cooper spoke with Margot about that heroic moment. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "AC360": What is going through your mind in that time?
MARGOT CONDON, NURSE: Next step, hold the baby. They show the tube, because the baby had a breathing tube. So I really had to make sure that that tube didn`t jiggle, that it didn`t come out, because then if it came out, we would have to, like, resuscitate right there on the stairs. So it was really important.
COOPER: You`ve been a nurse for 26 years?
CONDON: Thirty-six.
COOPER: Thirty-six years!
CONDON: Yes.
COOPER: Have you -- I mean, you`ve saved a lot of lives. Have you ever experienced anything like this?
CONDON: No. This is the most dramatic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good for her. Let`s face it. These nurses, they`re heroes every day.
But Jane, can you imagine the pressure that Margot and all these other nurses were under during this whole emergency evacuation that was going on?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN ANCHOR: One slip, one wrong move, and you could have had a tragedy. So the pressure was on. And these nurses respond to pressure. And they function; function very well. Heroically under pressure.
And that`s what I love to see is them getting acknowledged. Because they do save lives every day. They are heroic every day. In the emergency room, in the intensive care units. And generally, nobody really notices. So now the world is noticing the heroism that they exhibit every day, month after month, year after year.
HAMMER: Well, I know three of us join the nation in tipping our collective hats to all of these heroes. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Sheryl Lee Ralph, thank you both so much.
Sheryl, good luck with your new movie, "Christmas in Compton." It opens on November 9.
RALPH: Thank you.
HAMMER: Coming up, SHOWBIZ on location. I visited "Live with Kelly and Michael" this morning. It was just extraordinary. They transformed the annual Halloween bash into a storm benefit. And I can tell you, for Jersey-bred Kelly Ripa, the motivation to help became a personal mission.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KELLY RIPA, CO-HOST, ABC`S "LIVE WITH KELLY AND MICHAEL": Living in New York and growing up in New Jersey, you just sort of say thank God, everybody is OK. That`s all you can ask for. All the rest of it you just sort of -- you rebuild, you move on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You`ve got to be here with me for this. I`m taking you behind the scenes of a very special "Live with Kelly and Michael."
From recovery to the future president. President Obama and Governor Romney are not the only ones on their election eve cross-country push. Oh, no. You have Will Ferrell on the move for Obama. Kid Rock stumping for Romney. SHOWBIZ dares to ask. Can stars influence you, with hours to go before you vote?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Jersey boy Bruce Springsteen showed his support for his home state in the wake of Hurricane Sandy by performing his song, "Land of Hope and Dreams," for the NBC telethon to aid storm victims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC: BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN`S "LAND OF HOPE AND DREAMS")
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY PHAROAH, CAST MEMBER, NBC`S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Well, Eugene, we need to do everything we can to become energy independent.
JASON SUDEIKIS, CAST MEMBER, NBC`S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Oh, really? Then why have you cut drilling permits on federal land by half?
PHAROAH: That`s not true.
SUDEIKIS: How much did you cut?
PHAROAH: Not true.
SUDEIKIS: You didn`t cut anything? You`re not going to cut anything?
PHAROAH: I`m about to cut you.
SUDEIKIS: Oh, I`d like to see that. I`d like to see that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That was "Saturday Night Live`s" take on the last presidential debate. Jason Sudeikis as Governor Romney. Jay Pharoah as President Obama.
Now, we all know presidential politics and "Saturday Night Live" have gone hand in hand for more than 30 years. Some believe the sketches have actually tipped the scales in how we see our politicians. Some comics are so good at it, we often confuse their memorable quotes with what the real president or candidates actually said.
Well, now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is counting down our top five best, greatest most dead-on funny presidential impersonators.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): As the current president knows...
PHAROAH: The economy is in the tank. The job market is horrible. Ah...
HAMMER: ... being impersonated is part of the job. And there are few comic giants whose presidential impersonations were ones for the ages.
WILL FERRELL, FORMER CAST MEMBER, NBC`S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": Guess what, amigo? I`m coming to get you.
DANA CARVEY, FORMER CAST MEMBER, NBC`S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": It`s bad, they`re bad!
DARRELL HAMMOND, FORMER CAST MEMBER, NBC`S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": I -- am -- bulletproof.
HAMMER: Tonight in the SHOWBIZ Countdown, we bring you the top five presidential impersonators.
At No. 5, Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford.
CHEVY CHASE, FORMER CAST MEMBER, NBC`S "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE": What is this about a press conference, Ron?
BUCK HENRY, ACTOR: You called it, Mr. President.
CHASE: Called it what?
JO PIAZZA, SENIOR EDITOR, CURRENT TV: Chevy Chase`s Gerald Ford was absolutely hilarious.
CHASE: Hello.
HAMMER: Chevy Chase, performing in the mid `70s on some new comedy show called "Saturday Night Live," didn`t try too hard to look or sound like the 38th president. What he did was fall down. A lot.
PIAZZA: Gerald Ford is probably one of the most athletic presidents in modern history. But Chevy decided to play him as kind of this bumbling, lumbering fool.
CHASE: Shall we begin, gentleman? No problem.
HAMMER: No. 4 on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown of the top five presidential impersonators, Vaughn Meader as John F. Kennedy.
VAUGHN MEADER, JFK IMPERSONATOR: As you ladies and gentlemen there might know, someone`s going around this country impersonating me.
HAMMER: In the 1960s Vaughn Meader lampooned JFK on shows like "The Ed Sullivan Show" and on records that had people lining up by the millions.
PIAZZA: It was one of the best-selling albums of all time after it was released.
MEADER: He`s just doing my justice. He`s using my lines. Do not ask what this country can do for you. That`s one of my original lines.
HAMMER: No. 3 on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown of the top presidential impersonators, Will Ferrell as George W. Bush.
FERRELL: Don`t mess with Texas.
HAMMER: Will Ferrell`s skill at lampooning the 43rd president on "Saturday Night Live" can be summed up in one word.
FERRELL: Strategery.
PIAZZA: So a lot of the American public firmly believes that George W. Bush actually mangled the word "strategy" and said "strategery" when actually it was just Will Ferrell`s impersonation.
FERRELL: I`d like to address my remarks tonight to Mr. Osama bin Laden. You made a big mistake. If you had any brains, you would have challenged me to a game of "Scrabble."
HAMMER: No. 2 on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown of the top five presidential impersonators, Darrell Hammond as Bill Clinton on SNL.
HAMMER: And I believe if there is one thing my presidency will be remembered for, it will be honesty and integrity.
PIAZZA: Darrell Hammond really nailed both the southern drawl, the swagger.
HAMMOND: If there`s one thing I`ve learned it`s that our laws are like pinatas. The more you beat them, the more candy you get.
HAMMER: And now, the big reveal. No. 1 on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s countdown of the top five presidential impersonators. Dana Carvey as George H.W. Bush.
CARVEY: Hurricane Hugo doing that damage down there. Going round and round, doing that hurricane thing down there. A lot of damage. Natural disaster. Not my fault.
HAMMER: How perfect was Dana Carvey`s George Bush on "SNL"?
CARVEY: Not gonna do it. Not gon do it.
HAMMER: It got the seal of approval from Bush himself.
PIAZZA: Bush one has actually impersonated Dana Carvey impersonating him.
CARVEY: Wouldn`t be prudent at this juncture.
GEORGE H.W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As Dana Carvey would say, "Not gonna do it. Wouldn`t be prudent."
HAMMER: And that`s why it tops our countdown of the best presidential impersonations.
CARVEY: It was good, good!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: He was so good at that.
Well, when it comes to the real deal, could your favorite star actually sway your vote for Governor Romney or President Obama tomorrow? Will Ferrell is stumping for President Obama. Kid Rock`s man is Mitt Romney. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the last-minute celebrity endorsements that are going viral.
Plus, Adele getting sucked into Lady Gaga`s public weight war with the media. But could it make things worse?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And New York City native Lady Gaga remembered the victims of Hurricane Sandy over the weekend. She tweeted up this video from her concert in Costa Rica saying, "Here, New York, I sang a song for you tonight."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTINA AGUILERA, SINGER (SINGING): Every day is so wonderful, and suddenly, so hard to breathe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Those lyrics really seem so much more chilling in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. That`s Christina Aguilera there, of course, singing "Beautiful." She was just one of the stars who poured out their hearts in song on the NBC telethon to benefit the American Red Cross.
And there is big news tonight about just how much that amazing fundraising effort brought in. We`ve got that and more right now in "The Buzz" today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): Singing for Sandy relief. The American Red Cross and NBC Universal just announced the Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together telethon generated nearly $23 million in support of victims impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The live telethon Friday night was hosted by "Today" anchor Matt Lauer and featured performances by Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, and Bruce Springsteen.
No doubt it was a big mistake. No Doubt is being criticized for being culturally insensitive to Native Americans in a brand-new music video, "Looking Hot." The video features Gwen Stefani dressed up in a Pocahontas headband, being saved from a pair of cowboys by band members Tom Dumont and Adrian Young.
The group quickly pulled down the video and issued an apology on their Web site. "Our intention with our new video was never to offend, hurt or trivialize Native American people, their culture or their history. We sincerely apologize to the Native American community and anyone else offended by this video. Being hurtful to anyone is simply not who we are."
Gaga sounds off on weight. Lady Gaga is slamming the media for criticizing her weight. In a brand-new interview with "Stylist U.K.," Gaga reveals she gained about 30 pound and doesn`t care if others think she`s fat.
The controversial pop singer added, "Adele is bigger than me. How come nobody says anything about it? She`s so wonderful, and I think her confidence is something I have to match. She has set the bar very high for a lot of women."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Very well said, Lady Gaga.
Coming up, SHOWBIZ on location. I was right there on set at "Live with Kelly and Michael" this morning as they transformed the annual Halloween bash show into a storm benefit. Former New York Giant Michael Strahan didn`t think twice about helping out his city.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL STRAHAN, CO-HOST, ABC`S "LIVE WITH KELLY AND MICHAEL": I think that`s the great thing about this city and about the country, that we don`t -- you see somebody suffering, you see someone needs help, we jump in and make that happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I am taking you right there behind the scenes of this very special "Live with Kelly and Michael."
Plus, Hollywood`s full-court press on election eve. You`ve got Will Ferrell stumping for President Obama, Kid Rock supporting Governor Romney. But SHOWBIZ dares to ask, can stars influence your vote?
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIPA: Living in New York and growing up in New Jersey, you just sort of say thank God everybody is OK. That`s all you can ask for. All the rest of it, you just sort of -- you rebuild. You move on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ on location, on set at "Live with Kelly and Michael." Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan transformed "Live`s" belated Halloween bash into a major fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. I am taking you behind the scenes of a very special "Live with Kelly and Michael."
Plus, political star wars. The big-time Hollywood celebrities and their 11th hour push to change your mind about the election. Does who your favorite stars stump for influence your vote?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer.
Tonight SHOWBIZ on location with Kelly Ripka and Michael Strahan. I visited with the co-host of "Live" this morning a week to the day after super storm Sandy hit. We talked about how Sandy affected their lives, especially Kelly, who is from New Jersey, one of the hardest hit areas in the region.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Pretty amazing thing, never seen yourself put in almost a breaking news situation like that before.
STRAHAN: Never. And never thought I would for so long. But you know what? You do what you have to do. Like everybody is coming together to help and "Today" show was an indication where everybody come together day of giving to try to raise money for the victims of the hurricane.
HAMMER: And I need to point out for everybody watching that I`m here with Nikki and Randy and it is the Halloween show which is of course why --.
RIPA: I don`t know why you keep calling me Nikki. I just colored my hair.
HAMMER: Are you going home to Mark like this?
RIPA: Are you kidding? Thrilled. Unfortunately thought, when I take this off, it all comes off.
HAMMER: A whole new day of giving, but --.
RIPA: Yes, a whole new day of giving, a day of giving personally for Mark.
HAMMER: But, it is incredible, you know, what they have done with day of giving. Hats off to them, of course. But, you cannot but be inspired by everybody who has come together so long, celebrities and everyday people alike.
STRAHAN: Yes. And from the beginning, people chipped in financially, with their time, with the energy and effort. And I think that`s a great thing about this city and about the country. That we don`t -- you see somebody suffering, you see someone who needs help you jump in and make sure it happens. And you know, the whole city and everybody out in the country has been great towards the people of New York and this whole tri-state area.
We just happen to do our part. And we were able to have a little fun and hopefully take a little bit, take everybody`s mind away for a minute to come here and watch this show for an hour and just have some fun and raise some money.
HAMMER: It`s really an important part of it too, being able to enter people. And I know, you know, everybody was affected to varying degrees. You flying back and forth got a little interesting. But you`re a jersey girl.
RIPA: Yes.
HAMMER: I can`t even start to imagine what has gone through your mind as you have seen these images and things unfold in places that you grew up.
RIPA: Well, it`s been -- I mean, it`s been horrific. And I still have family there. I mean, all of my family is there. So my parents still have not gone to see what is going on with their house because they are not letting citizens back. So it`s like one of these great waiting games. And I think everybody sort of has the same -- especially, you know, my family and just living in New York and growing up in New Jersey, you just sort of say thank god everybody is OK. That`s all you can ask for. All the rest of it, you just sort of -- you`ll rebuild. You`ll move on.
That`s what is I think Michael is saying has impressed me so much about New York City. I mean, I`ve been living in New York now for 24 years. And I`m always amazed that no matter what happens, everybody takes a deep breath and goes OK, let`s just get on with it. We have to keep moving. And I think it always sort of pulls us together as a society instead of breaking us apart.
HAMMER: It gives you faith. And it gives you hope. And seeing people`s resilience and fortitude is pretty incredible.
RIPA: Humanity is awe-inspiring. People, when they see somebody in need, they reach out and they help. And I`m always inspired by that.
HAMMER: Yes. All this is fun and good, but that`s the really important stuff. And you live in lower Manhattan.
RIPA: Yes, I do.
HAMMER: So I imagine your power went out.
RIPA: Yes, that was right. We always flee. I mean, I swear, lower Manhattan is the first place to go down. It really is. It is like I remember, I turned to Mark when we lost power on Monday. I waited for the generator to kick in because after the last blackout, I remember a discussion of us getting a generator, which we never did because we`re New Yorkers. And oh, we lost power. Don`t worry, any second now that generator is going to kick on. And Mark says we have a generator. And I said don`t we? No. We don`t have a generator. I said, after the blackout we talked about it. Yes, we talked about it. Never got it.
HAMMER: Any other circumstances, always good to see you guys. And congratulations, again, to ABC. And thank you.
RIPA: Thank you.
HAMMER: For all you guys are doing to raise some important money.
RIPKA: Thank you for covering this. Because you guys are big voices. And we appreciate you featuring, you know, what we`re trying to do here.
HAMMER: Absolutely.
RIPKA: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Always good to see those guys.
Well, the super storm obviously affected so many people in our HLN family personally as well. So many of my colleagues reported on this tragedy for hours on end. And then, they had to go home to try to pick up the pieces in their own lives.
Well, making it in America host Vinnie Politan grew up spending his summers in seaside heights, New Jersey. Yes, you know, seaside heights, most recently made famous by MTV`s "Jersey Shore."
But Vinnie`s memories is about the beach that is now in shambles where family tradition in love.
Right now, in an intimate look back at his "Jersey Shore," Vinnie shares family pictures to paint a picture of what was lost and what he hopes will be found in the future.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VINNIE POLITAN, JOURNALIST: My mom didn`t know where we were. Only thing she knew is that we weren`t wearing shoes. I mean, we were flying all over the island, riding our bikes in the water, here, there.
My parents, their first date down the shore. They would go. That`s where my dad took my mom. My father made sure that we all got together every year somewhere, all under the same roof in one house, no matter how many of us there were. And that tradition continued. And it was -- it was the jersey shore. And it`s where we were supposed to be together. We take his grandkids crabbing. Whatever he took, it was about being together and opening up that door in the morning, smelling that ocean breeze come in, going over there to pick up some jelly donuts for the kids. It`s just a place where you can totally just focus on being together, experiencing everything together, and creating memories.
Choppers are still evaluating damage. This is seaside heights, New Jersey. This is part of the jersey shore that I grew up on.
The storm can come in, you can wash out the boardwalk, all those iconic places. But they`ll rebuild it. And they`re not going to -- they`re not going to erase, they`re not going to wash away what the jersey shore really is. And I can`t emphasize this enough. It`s more than the beach. It`s more than the ocean. It`s going to take a while to rebuild it. But there is too much -- there is too much at stake for people to just kind of walk away from it, because they know how important it is and what it really means. And for me you say "jersey shore." to me it means my family, from my parents, my grandparents, to me, brother and our children. And that`s forever.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I know so many people feel the same way Vinnie does, and truly believe the shore and of course all of its residents will come back stronger than ever.
Well, moving on now to election eve star power tonight. Still undecided somehow? Let the stars help you make up your mind. Hollywood`s biggest celebrities launch a last-minute push to get you to vote for their candidate.
Plus, the hurricane Sandy comedy controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are bad, OK. They`re bad. But we`re New Jersey, all right. We`re going to be fine. We don`t get sad in New Jersey. We get even. So sleep with one eye open, Sandy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "Saturday Night Live" is all over Hurricane Sandy, getting big laughs. But is it still too soon to joke about the superstorm that devastated so many lives?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight real star power. It is of course a mad dash to the finish line in the presidential race. And it`s not just the candidates who are pulling out all the stops, oh, no. You`ve got rock stars. You`ve got superstars. You`ve got Hollywood`s hottest stars, all battling it out for the big win.
Take a look at this superstar lineup out in full force for our President Obama. You got Jay-Z, Eva Longoria, Katy Perry, George Clooney, Morgan Freeman, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker and Will Smith among his supporters.
In Support of Mitt Romney, you`ve got rock stars and movie stars, Hollywood`s "a" list like Clint Eastwood, Meatloaf, Kelsey Grammer, Stacey Dash, Chuck Norris, Scott Baio, Kid Rock, even Donny Osmond coming out for Mitt.
But when the stakes are so high, how much real power is in all of that star power? Is it actually enough to sway your volt?
With me tonight from Washington D.C. Republican strategist Leslie Sanchez, and Philadelphia actress` Sheryl Lee Ralph. Sheryl starring in the new film "Christmas in Compton." It opens in the theaters Friday, November 9th.
Great to have you both here.
And Sheryl, I want to start with you. So, you have the celebrities using all of their power, everything they got. They`re performing, they are hosting parties, doing these big fundraisers. But do you think their celebrity status is enough to really sway a vote, their endorsement of a candidate?
RALPH: Absolutely. Listen, A.J., when the right celebrity, the one that you love and respect come out and says look, as a woman, I`m not voting my pocketbook, I`m voting for a woman`s personal health choices. They matter to me. Another woman if she likes and respects that person, she hears that. And it might be just the thing that she needs to sway her vote.
Then you look at the people that each one of the candidates have on their side. Thus, when you look at one, does it look like the American dream? Does the other one just look like a stack of, like, say, maybe just white men? You have to look at that. When they pay attention, yes, stars do make a matter, especially if you love and respect them.
HAMMER: Well, you make an interesting point. And I will add to, that especially if a star is informed and really knows what they`re talking about as opposed to just saying yes, I`m voting for that guy.
RALPH: That`s right.
HAMMER: But Leslie, what about that? I know it`s not universal. But are fans of some of these celebrities really possibly getting in the voting booth or perhaps tonight saying to themselves hey, that celebrity is voting for that candidate, so I`m going to do the same thing?
LESLIE SANCHEZ, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: We have Bieber Fever, and they were old enough to vote, I think you would see waves of young people moving to the polls. But in reality, part of that is right. What it does do is it generates a lot of money. Hollywood is an ATM for mostly the Democratic side, but certain the Republicans as well. And they`re great entertainment, they`re great media buzz.
But, if you look back at 2008, there was the Oprah factor, somebody who is so endearing to so many people on both sides of the aisle, was she significant in drawing votes for Barack Obama? It`s hard to say. Many people felt that was the indicator. So if the queen of television couldn`t do it, it`s really hard to say that`s the underlying thing that makes people vote for someone. But it does generate money and interest. And that`s important in a tight election.
HAMMER: Of course it`s a new day.
RALPH: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Because it`s not just the celebrities that are pushing the vote. You have social media. I mean, if you`re looking at Twitter or Facebook tonight, every other post is about the presidential race, as we would expect.
RALPH: That`s right.
HAMMER: We all saw the flurry of Big Bird memes like this one after the first debate teasing that Romney would put big bird in the unemployment line. And of course, we saw this one teasing that President Obama forgot that he had actually taken part in a debate.
And Leslie, look, these are funny. They bring a lot of buzz. But do images like that actually matter when it comes to the vote?
RALPH: Absolutely. Yes people are paying attention. They are watching. And I don`t care what anybody says. People love big bird. And they want to keep big bird on their TV screen, yes.
HAMMER: Leslie, what do you think?
RALPH: It all matters.
SANCHEZ: She is right. Big bird and binders full of women and all these kind of memes that went out there. The problem is there is not a lot of truth in them. That just these quick sound bites, but nobody really understands the context of those debates. That`s harder than 140 characters you can present in Twitter or post on Facebook. So it`s important as celebrities get involved or just get involved that they know the issues. Because in many cases -- that`s right.
HAMMER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: And that`s part of their brand and what they`re putting forth.
HAMMER: Yes. Certainly those images can reinforce what is going on, or to people who are less informed, maybe they do place their vote --
SANCHEZ: Misinformed.
HAMMER: Behind bars.
All right. Leslie Sanchez, Sheryl Lee Ralph, thank you both so much.
We move on now to hurricane Sandy, and a major comedy controversy tonight. Is it just too soon to make fun of the storm?
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Things are bad, OK. They`re bad. But we`re New Jersey, all right. We`re going to be fine. We don`t get sad in New Jersey, we get even. So sleep with one eye open, Sandy.
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HAMMER: "Saturday Night Live" spent more time spoofing Sandy than it did on the presidential election over the weekend. Did Sandy comedy go over the line, though, when we still have so many people still struggling to get back on their feet?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Measures such as the ban on large sugary sodas that had it not been in place, we would have seen many obese New Yorkers float away helplessly down the Hudson River.
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HAMMER: Lots of laughs from that "Saturday Night Live" spoof. Mayor Bloomberg`s now famous Hurricane Sandy press conferences. But should "SNL" have skipped the Sandy jokes and stuck to the presidential election instead?
Tonight is it OK to laugh? "Saturday Night Live," as you may have seen just went wild when it came to making fun of Hurricane Sandy. But with so many people still struggling to recover in the super storm`s aftermath, is it still too soon to laugh? Does it help us get through this hard time? Or is it just plain insensitive?
Well, joining me right now in New York, there he is, a guy who knows all about getting the big laughs, Tommy Davidson.
TOMMY DAVIDSON, COMEDY CENTRAL: How is it going? Nice to see you.
HAMMER: -- Comedy Central, it`s always a pleasure to are you, my friend.
DAVIDSON: You too.
HAMMER: Let`s take a look right now, Tommy, of more of that "SNL" opening sketch spoofing in New York`s Mayor Bloomberg and New Jersey`s Governor Christie.
Roll it, Charles.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, hello. Hello, I`m Governor Chris Christie. This is my interpreter Roxy Afuccinellli.
These are bad, OK, they`re bad. But we`re New Jersey, all right. We`re going to be fine. We don`t get sad in New Jersey, we get even. So sleep with one eye open, Sandy.
Also, to the mayor of Atlantic City, Lorenzo Langesford, who refused to evacuate, you are a silly, stupid son of a bitch. You disobey me? You disobey one of my orders? Well screw you, screw your city and screw all the people who listen to you. I`m going to come rescue you, and then I`m going to beat you to death, because that`s the jersey way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, look. It`s definitely funny.
DAVIDSON: Right.
HAMMER: But Tommy, you know this. Is what you deal with when it comes to comedy. Some people are uncomfortable. It is just too soon to laugh at this stuff when there are really so many people still suffering?
DAVIDSON: Well, a comedy -- comedy is really good when there is, you know, there is tragedies and emergencies around. And the good thing about "Saturday Night Live," one, it`s not that funny to me. Two, not as many people watch it as you think. And three, the people that would have watched it, their electricity was out.
So, anyway, when it comes to these kinds of subjects, people love to laugh. But most of all, the thing that impresses me about the tri-state area is that everybody is out there doing their thing to help there is a lot going on out there. You know, there is a lot to do, there is a lot of service to do. So there is not a lot of time to do a lot of laughing because it`s really going down. This area has been hit by so much, the hurricane last year, 9/11. It just keeps going on. But the resilience of the people in this area is incredible to me.
HAMMER: No, it is impressive. And look, people do need to be entertained and get a distraction. A lot of people are so immersed in it right now. And it will be some time before they`re ready to look beyond what is immediately in front of them.
Tommy, always great to get your perspective on this.
DAVIDSON: Thank you.
HAMMER: Thank you so much. Be sure to watch Tommy`s great show "Black Dynamite" on Comedy Central.
Also tonight, voting with the stars. Now, if you`re somehow still undecided about who you`re going to cast your presidential ballot for, don`t worry. Hollywood`s top stars may help you get off that fence.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I will do anything to get you to go out and vote on November 6th. I`m not kidding. Hungry? How about a home-cooked meal? Hope you like angel hair pasta.
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HAMMER: Will Ferrell endorsing president Obama. You`ve got Kid Rock throwing his weight behind Mitt Romney.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the last-minute celebrity endorsements that are going viral and creating a real political star war.
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
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HAMMER: Tonight political star wars. Believe it or not, a lot of people somehow still aren`t sure who they`re going to be voting for in the presidential election. And yes, I know. It`s just a couple of hours away.
But President Obama and Mitt Romney are still campaigning, of course, right up to the last minute. And tonight some of Hollywood`s biggest stars are helping them, including Will Ferrell, whose brilliant ad for Barack Obama is going viral. Watch this.
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WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: Hi. I`m Will Ferrell, comedian, actor, founder of Facebook. And I will do anything to get you to go out and vote on November 6th. I`m not kidding. Hungry? How about a home-cooked meal? Hope you like angel hair pasta. You need a guy to help you move a couch? Done. I`ve even got my own van. If you agree to vote in this year`s election, I will personally give you at tattoo. Vote Obama. It`s a slam-dunk.
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HAMMER: And the political star wars really are red-hot tonight. You have Kid Rock on the campaign trail. Hours ago, he was with his candidate of choice, Mitt Romney. He was rocking out at Romney`s final event in Ohio. Kid Rock told MTV why he is such a big supporter of Romney, and why he cares so much about lending his music to the campaign.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: I read something he sort of came to you and you had some questions for him.
KID ROCK, SINGER: He asked if he could use the song. And I was being a little Wisen Heimer (ph) about it. And he it on the Web site somehow, it is like. Go ahead. I`ve made music to have people hear it. And I`m not going to dictate at what level people want to listen to that. It doesn`t matter to me. Yes, I`m a little right wing. I`m going to veto for Mitt Romney, OK. But that`s where my politics end speaking to people that might listen to my music, you know. But if you`re not, it`s OK.
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HAMMER: Well, whoever you decide to vote for, I just hope you go out and make your voice heard. Well, tonight inside the aftermath of super storm Sandy, Dr. Drew goes on a tour of hard hit Staten Island with one of the stars of reality show, "Mom Wild."
Dr. Drew explores the heroism and hope right now.
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