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Showbiz Tonight
Duchess Catherine Leaves Hospital; Weight Watchers `Pleased` with Jessica Simpson; John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John in New Music Video; Simon, Demi Battle on `X Factor`; Actress vs. Senate GOP Leader; Countdown: Top Ten Shockers of the Year
Aired December 06, 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 on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, was Kristen Stewart cheating on Robert Pattinson the year`s biggest shocker? Or was it Prince Harry, caught on camera buck naked? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT counting down the "Top Ten Shockers of 2012". Wait until you see what`s No. 1.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. And our No. 1 shocker on the SHOWBIZ Countdown is coming up. But we begin with our first SHOWBIZ Countdown of the night. It`s today`s "Top Five Buzz Makers". Let`s get right to it.
At No. 5, Kate`s brave exit from the hospital. Duchess Catherine did not sneak out the back door of the London hospital today. After several days of treatment for acute morning sickness and revealing the pregnancy heard around the world, the duchess bravely walked out with Prince William and showing the world that she`s doing just fine, thank you.
CNN`s Matthew Chance is in London tonight for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. So Matt, tell us how this all played out today.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the duchess left this hospital in central London where she`s been treated for acute morning sickness escorted by her husband, Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, clutching the bouquet of roses and with a big smile on her face. It`s been a very difficult few days for her.
A royal statement says she`s now resting at home in Kensington Palace and that the duke and duchess thanked the staff of the hospital for all the attention and care that they gave.
Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, has also commented for the first time, saying how excited he is at the prospect of becoming a granddad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your royal highness, what`s your reaction to the news about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge?
PRINCE CHARLES, UNITED KINGDOM: How do you know I`m not a radio station? I`m thrilled. A really nice thought to be a grandfather at my old age, if I may say so. So that`s splendid. And I`m very glad my daughter-in-law is getting better. Thank goodness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: As Prince Charles referred to there, there has been controversy over the privacy of the duchess at the hospital, when it emerged that an Australian radio show made a prank call, impersonating Prince Charles and the Queen, and managed to get personal information about the duchess` condition from a nurse on the ward.
The station has since apologized, saying it was all meant as a light- hearted thing. The hospital, of course, has been forced now to seriously review its telephone security procedures in order to protect other high- profile patients like the royals in the future.
HAMMER: Yes. No question about that. The hospital has some serious issues to handle. It`s CNN`s Matthew Chance for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Certainly great seeing Prince Charles can take a joke, right? Maybe we`re going to be seeing the softer side of the royals with this pregnancy.
With me in New York, Jenny Hutt, who`s the host of "Just Jenny" on Sirius XM. Look at that, it`s Queen Jenny Hutt or is that a princess?
JENNY HUTT, HOST, SIRIUS XM`S "JUST JENNY": I`m a princess, A.J.
HAMMER: In Hollywood tonight, a prince of a man, Hyla, the host of "The Daily Buzz" on CelebBuzz.com. And I`m afraid you don`t have any headgear, do you, Hyla?
All right. Listen, I`m personally giving the duchess a lot of credit here. She didn`t have to do this, but she was very brave and faced the cameras. They didn`t sneak her out the back door or anything like that. And of course, Prince William right there by her side, Jenny. Do you think they did this intentionally to send a message?
HUTT: Well, I adore this princess, and I think, yes, she is brave, and she`s walked into this whole "being a princess thing" eyes wide open. I mean, really how could she not? So I think they did the right thing by just coming out and going. She is pregnant. She has been feeling ill, and she`s moving forward. It`s all good.
HAMMER: And she was glowing. I mean, I thought she looked spectacular.
HUTT: She`s gorgeous. She`s amazing.
HAMMER: I`m also intrigued. Look at this picture. Look at the way she walked out of the hospital carrying this bouquet of flowers, strategically placed at her midsection there. Hyla, you think she knows that all the camera lenses were trained on that spot? That`s why she held the bouquet there?
HYLA: Yes, 100 percent. I mean, poor girl, she`s having morning sickness and she has to do it in front of 2 billion people. I mean, that`s got to be a lot of pressure for her. And she is dealing with it the best that someone can deal with it. And I think this is why everybody loves her, obviously.
HAMMER: Yes. Very, very classy.
Well, somebody else who I think is quite classy and knows all about being the focus of baby bumps, Jessica Simpson, especially with reports that she`s pregnant again. Today there`s actually a new report that her multimillion dollar deal as the face of Weight Watchers could fall apart if she is expecting.
Jessica`s No. 4 on our "SHOWBIZ Buzz Makers" countdown, after "Us Weekly" reported that Weight Watchers is just furious about Jessica`s reported pregnancy.
"Us Weekly" reports that Jessica`s first ad had to be shot from the waist up because she didn`t lose enough weight in time. And they fear releasing the second ad because of the rumored pregnancy, basically saying who`s going to want to hear about a pregnant woman on a diet?
Well, today Weight Watchers told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the whole report is hogwash. Let me read what they said to us: "There have been no changes to our contract with Jessica, and we have a great relationship with her. We are thrilled with the ads we shot with her in November. And we can`t wait to launch our winter campaign later this month."
All right, Jenny, how do you decipher this? Do you think it means that Jessica`s not pregnant? Do you think it means, if she is pregnant, it doesn`t matter to them?
HUTT: Right. I think if, in fact, what they`re saying now is true, then I think it doesn`t matter to them that she`s pregnant from a business standpoint. I don`t know what their emotional reactions are. And I think if she did lose the weight prior to becoming pregnant again, even if it`s only seven months after baby Maxwell is born, then she got skinny enough for these ads, and she`s going to look great in the ads. I think that`s all that matters. She`s not exactly a dieting pregnant person. She`s someone who dieted and got back to her pre-pregnancy weight and now is going to be pregnant.
HAMMER: Hyla, what do you think? Weight Watchers, they`re OK with whatever the heck is going on with Jessica Simpson?
HYLA: Yes, they`re between, you know, a rock and a hard place. Right? They want what they paid for. They want a woman to have lost weight, because that`s the campaign. At the same time, they can`t, like, hold a woman at fault because she`s having another kid. So they kind of just have to go with the flow.
And also, oh, wow, Jessica`s a normal woman. So maybe she didn`t lose all the weight right away like everybody else does. I mean, it`s not an easy thing to lose the weight. So I think Jessica`s sitting pretty here. Weight Watchers, they just have to go along for the ride.
HAMMER: Yes. Don`t make Jenny Hutt put her lawyer tiara on. Because she might start telling us, well, we don`t really know what`s in Jessica`s contract.
HUTT: Yes.
HAMMER: But I guess with that statement, the contract is good with whatever`s going on.
But from buzzy baby news now to a brand-new buzz making, and quite frankly, what a lot of people today called a very cheesy music video for a holiday album. It features the great couple, John Travolta and his former "Grease" co-star, Olivia Newton-John. So good to have them back together and at No. 3 on our countdown. The song is called, "I Think I Like It." But is the cheese factor just too much? Well, please decide for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN TRAVOLTA, ACTOR (singing): I`m coming home tonight. Here comes that magic, the spell of Christmas Eve. There`s nothing you can do but wear your heart upon your sleeve.
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN, ACTRESS/SINGER (singing): My mind is going a little crazy knowing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I like it, but at the same time it makes me want to go out to the parking lot and throw up all over my pickup truck there, Hyla. You know? Do we deny the cheese factor? Do we accept it? Is it what were they going for? What`s happening? Please make me understand.
HYLA: Yes. Speaking of a smell, when you walk into a room and someone smells that, and they make that face, like that`s when I`m watching that video.
Maybe joke`s on us, because the last time I checked, it was right at, you know, half a million views. We`re talking about John Travolta. He`s an A- list celebrity. He can`t get, like, just good production? Forget about the song. He just can`t find a good production team to put something that some college kid can do? This is embarrassing.
HAMMER: No, I mean, Jenny, "You`re the One That I Want." We love it, but cheesy.
HUTT: Yes, it`s cheesy, but it was better production than this was. I mean, this really -- I could make a better video. And watching this, I kind of had to avert my gaze, kind of had to close my ears. It`s horrible.
HAMMER: Oh, no. You loved it. Come on, it`s a little holiday treat for all of us.
HUTT: OK.
HAMMER: And that`s your point, the music video is for a good cause. Any money made from the album is going to the foundation setup in memory of Travolta`s last (sic) son. So we`re going to stop making fun of it.
HUTT: OK.
HAMMER: Our SHOWBIZ Countdown continues. We`re down to the top two of our "Top Five Buzz Makers". Simon Cowell`s incredible new feud and face-off with his fellow "X Factor" judge, Demi Lovato. And the brand-new war of words between LeAnn Rimes and her husband`s ex-wife, Brandi Glanville, over -- are you ready for this? -- laxatives. The big No. 1 reveal is coming up.
Well, you`ve got to catch our other big SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight. I`m getting ready for it, the "Top Ten SHOWBIZ Shockers of the Year".
First, Brad and Angelina swore off marriage until gay marriage was legal. Well, that all changed this year when Brad popped the big question and Angelina said yes.
Kim Kardashian took marriage mania to a whole different level last year. This year, it was a revelation that she`s in love with the pop star Kanye West. That`s left a lot of people stunned.
What will the No. 1 shocker of the year be?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT traveled to Nashville for the huge Grammy awards nomination show last night. This year, it`s all about the new school artists that are shaking things up, like Fun. I love this band. And they spoke with us about their staggering six nominations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s been an incredible year in music. It feels like alternative music is back. But there`s a -- there`s a change that`s coming in music. And it feels like a big year for that. So we`re just excited to be a part of it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. Our SHOWBIZ Countdown of the "Top Five Biggest Buzz Makers" of the day is on.
At No. 5, the duchess is discharged. We now have our very first look at a pregnant Duchess Kate, who left a London hospital today for some much needed rest at the palace.
No. 4, there are brand-new reports tonight that Jessica Simpson`s Weight Watchers deal may be in jeopardy on the heels of reports she`s having another baby. Weight Watchers denies there`s any problem.
At No. 3, John Travolta`s new holiday music video with the lovely Olivia Newton-John. It is fantastically cheesy. It is an absolute must-see.
That brings us to No. 2. It`s our No. 2 buzz maker on the SHOWBIZ Countdown. Simon`s feud. Simon Cowell versus fellow judge Demi Lovato on "The X Factor." Last night, this thing got really nasty. They were disagreeing over the performance of the group that Simon is mentoring, Emblem3. Watch how this played out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON COWELL, JUDGE, FOX`S "THE X FACTOR": My first act, singing...
DEMI LOVATO, JUDGE, FOX`S "THE X FACTOR": A very predictable song. They`re going to stand on stage.
COWELL: You will go to the naughty corner in a moment. I mean that.
LOVATO: To me, honest, I used to really, really love you guys. But to me, I feel like it`s a downgraded version of the Jonas Brothers five years ago.
COWELL: I have to say, that was incredibly dumb what you just said, actually.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`ve got to say, Demi is really holding her own against Simon. And all of the judges, including Britney Spears and L.A. Reid.
With me tonight in New York, Jenny Hutt. Jenny is the host of the fantastic Sirius XM show, "Just Jenny." In Hollywood tonight, it`s Hyla, who`s the host of "The Daily Buzz" on CelebBuzz.com.
And I, quite frankly, don`t think that a lot of people expected Demi to be such a standout on this show. Who knew she`d be able to stand up to Simon like that, Jenny? Can you believe she`s just going for it?
HUTT: I`m thrilled she`s going for it. This little girl has had some tough road. And it`s good to see her thriving, and it`s good to see her back to her original hair color.
HAMMER: Yes, nice. I actually have to believe that she was probably encouraged to just say whatever is on her mind.
HUTT: Yes.
HAMMER: But Hyla, who do you think is getting the best of this, Demi or Simon? My vote`s with Demi.
HYLA: Yes, absolutely Demi. I mean, we know what Simon brings to the table. This is all new for Demi and for us to watch her engage Simon like this. I think more disturbing, maybe, than this cat fight that`s going on is how low his shirt was opened up. I mean, it looks like it`s creeping lower and lower and lower every week. Maybe that`s making her uncomfortable.
HAMMER: Yes, Simon, we love you, but please, stop that right now.
You`ve got to love the Simon versus Demi battle. But of all the buzz makers, only one can be No. 1 on the SHOWBIZ Countdown. It is not Simon`s shirt. It`s another feud. We`ve got to talk about this. Oh, boy.
LeAnn Rimes taking on "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star Brandi Glanville yet again. Brandi claims, in an all-new interview with "Us Weekly," that Rimes has a severe eating disorder. Brandi claims that her son, who lives with LeAnn Rimes and Brandi`s ex-husband, got sick after swallowing one of LeAnn`s laxatives.
Brandi`s ex is Eddie Cibrian, of course. He`s now married to LeAnn Rimes. Brandi claims that he wrote her an e-mail saying, "You mention my wife so people will care what comes out of your mouth." Oy.
All right. Jenny, Brandi put that out on Twitter. I have to say that I think they`re all looking bad right here. Keep it private, would you, people?
HUTT: Yes. I mean, come on, there are kids involved. What are you doing? Act like grown-ups. Enough.
HAMMER: Their fans, though, are definitely taking sides, hardcore on this. Hyla, team Brandi or team LeAnn for you?
HYLA: Oh, my God. Can I just not play the game?
HAMMER: Yes. You`ve got to play or you go to the naughty corner.
HYLA: I mean, here`s the deal. Brandi`s on a reality show. Like why -- why would we be shocked that she`s putting herself out there like that? Like, whether the information is right or wrong, this is what she`s going to do. She needs the publicity. And this is sad, because it is at the expense of, like, real children. That`s what sucks about this.
HAMMER: Yes. She -- she was so hurt, she claimed, by the split, and now to add to the damage, it doesn`t make sense.
Jenny, I`m making you pick sides right now.
HUTT: I will not do it.
HAMMER: Well, we will do it.
HUTT: Here`s a side. I think Eddie`s hot. I mean, a total slime ball, but he`s cute for a tumble.
HAMMER: OK. So does that make -- you`re married. Come on, now.
HUTT: I can look.
HAMMER: All right. We`ll let you look. Jenny, Hyla, thank you both so much. Off to the naughty corner for both of you.
You won`t want to miss our next big SHOWBIZ Countdown, as we name our top ten "SHOWBIZ Shockers" of the year. We definitely got to see a completely different side of Prince Harry after these pictures emerged of him partying naked in Las Vegas. Unfortunately in his case, what happened in Vegas didn`t stay in Vegas.
But then we had Chris Brown and Rihanna. Years after he pled guilty to beating her up, Rihanna professes her love for Chris. The two seem to be flaunting their new friendship. Stunning for sure. But which will be the No. 1 "SHOWBIZ Shocker" of the year?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there for the Grammy Awards nomination show. It was live from Music City, one of my favorite places, Nashville, Tennessee. Alabama Shakes got two nods.
Now, just in case you have never heard of Alabama Shakes, trust me, you will want to check them out. The band members were actually so completely excited getting their big nominations, they could barely talk. So they had to show us their enthusiasm. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How does it feel to be two Grammy nominations under the belt right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Feels like...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Chad Ochocinco Johnson`s "Basketball Wives" reunion. Well, the former football and reality star spoke out about his ex-wife, reality star Evelyn Lozada, in a tense but honest new interview. It was on ESPN`s "First Take." And Chad says he is trying to live a better life after his domestic violence arrest. And he explains his battle to win Evelyn back. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In your words, what happened?
CHAD OCHOCINCO JOHNSON, PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE: What happened was a mistake. That`s what happened. A mistake that I`ve continuously apologized for, for the people that I`ve hurt, including my wife. I stated that numerous times. You`ve heard it.
I think me continuing to say "sorry" sort of drowns it out. I apologize to my family, my friends. The players I let down. The Dolphins organization, everybody. And including you. I talked to both of you on the phone numerous times to let you know why I`m fighting for my wife the way I am.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Interesting to see if they can work it out. Chad also says he believes he will play in the NFL again.
Well, from a possible return to the gridiron to a star who may be ditching Hollywood for Washington. Ashley Judd could actually trade in scripts for the Senate. Yes. And this isn`t some kind of far-off plan for after she retires. Oh, no. Ashley`s thinking about running for office as soon as next year.
Here`s Nischelle Turner with this "SHOWBIZ Special Report."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS: I`ll think about it.
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Ashley Judd? The star of the TV series "Missing" may try to make it her next role.
JUDD: I enjoy coming to Washington.
TURNER: According to Politico, the Hollywood star is seriously exploring a run for Senate in her home state of Kentucky in the 2014 midterm election against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
JUDD: I am very proud to be a Kentuckyian.
TURNER: Politico says she even discussed the idea with Democrats in Congress. CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser says either way, her star power is a big plus.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: She is well known across the country and in Kentucky. She`ll probably excite Democrats and especially liberals across the country. That could equal a lot of money.
TURNER: Judd, an outspoken supporter of President Obama, is no stranger to the political scene. She was a Tennessee delegate at the Democratic National Convention in September and is widely recognized for her work in environmental and social issues.
The actress has devoted her time to fighting poverty in third-world countries as a board member of Population Services International, a D.C.- based group with programs worldwide targeting issues like malaria, HIV, and reproductive health.
But her stance on one environmental issue in the eastern Kentucky Appalachians could have an impact on any potential bid for Senate.
JUDD: I hope you will commit your journalistic integrity to stop mountaintop removal immediately.
TURNER: Judd is a critic of a method where companies remove the tops of mountains, usually with explosives, for easier access to coal.
JUDD: The preciousness of these mountains is a natural endowment that should be treated as sacred.
TURNER: And let`s not forget, she would be running against the most powerful Senate Republican.
STEINHAUSER: He`s got deep roots in the state. He`s got a very powerful machine there. So any Democrat, be it Ashley Judd, or anybody else, is going to have a very, very big uphill challenge against Mitch McConnell in the midterm elections.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner, and tonight there are reports that, if Ashley doesn`t run next year, the plan will be to run against Senator Rand Paul in 2016.
I hope you`re ready, because we have another huge SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight, the "Top Ten Shockers of the Year". Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie break their vow not to get hitched until everyone can legally marry, and now they`re engaged. Pretty surprising turnaround.
And one surprising turn deserves another, as Jennifer Aniston also got engaged this year. What will be the No. 1 "SHOWBIZ Shocker" of the year?
This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, the SHOWBIZ Countdown of the "Top Ten Shockers of the Year".
Kristen Stewart`s cheating scandal. She gets caught on camera kissing her married director while she was dating her "Twilight" co-star Robert Pattinson.
Then, of course, there`s Prince Harry`s nude partying scandal. Another caught-on-camera firestorm that caused international fury. But what`s the No. 1 "SHOWBIZ Shocker" of the year?
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer. Thank you for watching.
Hollywood, of course, is all about drama. And this year has certainly been no different. We`ve seen the most surprising scandals emerge. And in some cases, cause a worldwide frenzy.
So tonight we`re here to count down the "Top Ten SHOWBIZ Shockers of the Year" from the breakups and make-ups that had us shaking our heads to the pregnancy stunner that shook reality TV.
Right now, we kick it off with a proposal -- two, in fact. It`s the tie for the number ten "SHOWBIZ Shocker". Jennifer Aniston gets engaged to Justin Theroux just as Brad Pitt puts a ring on it with Angelina Jolie. These two couples are forever linked in love and marriage.
Here`s number ten on our SHOWBIZ Countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER (voice-over): There were many things that happened in 2012 that we never thought we`d see. Like a plea for a mature conflict resolution on "Basketball Wives".
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I personally would like to see you all sit down and talk about it.
HAMMER: Or Lindsay Lohan, winning an Oscar.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the winner is Elizabeth Taylor.
HAMMER: OK. Even if it was just in the TV movie "Liz & Dick." But as far as 2012 shockers go, it is hard to beat this. The players in Hollywood`s biggest ever love triangle, Brad Pitt and his lady love Angelina Jolie, and Brad`s ex-wife, Jennifer Aniston, announced their engagements in the same year.
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, RADAR ONLINE: Probably the coolest engagement shocker ever.
HAMMER: Back in April, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie finally announced that after seven years of unmarried domestic bliss, they finally decided to walk down the aisle.
TERESZCUK: They say their children are pressuring them to get married.
HAMMER: Brad Pitt recently suggested to me that the kids were happy with just the engagement.
You said you were doing it for the kids, which obviously everyone`s excited about.
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: And ourselves.
HAMMER: Are they pressuring you at all to set a date? Are they getting on you about this?
PITT: No, not necessarily.
HAMMER: And just four months after Brangelina announced their engagement, Jennifer Aniston announced her engagement to actor-screenwriter Justin Theroux. Aniston`s reason for finally taking the marital plunge is much simpler than her ex is. She simply found the right guy.
TERESZCUK: She says he`s really just made her so happy, she actually cries sometimes when she talks about him.
HAMMER: So now that everyone is engaged, does this mean the constant headlines of the Aniston-Brangelina love triangle are coming to an end? Don`t bet on it.
TERESZCUK: I think that, 50 years from now, when we`re going to talk about Angelina, Jen or Brad, we`re just going to talk about their breakup all these years ago. I don`t think it`s ever going to go away.
HAMMER: But at least we can add this shocking new simultaneous engagement to the Brangeliston saga.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It will be so fascinating to see what lies ahead in the post marriage chapter of all their lives.
With me from Hollywood tonight, singer Tamar Braxton who stars on the hit WeTV reality series, "Tamar & Vince." Great to have you here, Tamar. Her single, by the way, "Love and War" I`m thinking, perfect for the segment. Love and war.
Also joining me from Hollywood, actor Sean Kanan, you know, from "General Hospital." Sean, also has written this fantastic book, "The Modern Gentlemen." It is available right now.
So guys, the world was buzzing with the announcement of Brad and Angie getting engaged. Sean, I`m going to start with you. It did surprised a lot of people that they finally got engaged after seven years together and after they have both basically swore off marriage, did it surprise you?
SEAN KANAN, ACTOR: I don`t think so. I think everybody`s been waiting for this to happen for a long time. You know, you have kids together, you have a life together. It just seems -- I don`t know, for me it seems logical that you cement the relationship with marriage. I think they were just pacing themselves. But I think it`s great, and congratulations to them.
HAMMER: And I really did get the impression that Brad is ready for it, when I sat down with him when he was in New York. He was promoting his movie, "Killing Them Softly". And because there`s so much excitement about his wedding, I had to ask if he and Angie planned to let the world look on when he says "I do".
Let`s watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Do you think it`s something you will make public? Obviously, there`s a huge interest, demand. People want to feel like they`re a part of when you guys actually get married. And you want to protect your privacy to the extent you can.
PITT: We don`t know. We haven`t gotten that far yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: My bet is they`re going to keep it as private as possible. But Tamar, while I don`t think they are going to do some big televised wedding event, will you be watching closely every detail as it comes out?
TAMAR BRAXTON, SINGER: Yes, I definitely will be watching every single detail. I mean, this is like the wedding of the century, we`ve been waiting on this since when -- they broke up -- since Brad and Jen broke up. It`s about time.
HAMMER: Yes, Well, look. It`s our royalty, that`s what we have here in America.
But from a pair of superstar marriages to a new high profile couple. At number nine on the SHOWBIZ Countdown of the most shocking stories of the year, when Kim Kardashian revealed she found something extra special in Kanye West. Kim is still caught up in a nasty divorce battle with Kris Humphries over their 72-day marriage, but in June, she revealed details of her new love interest on Oprah`s "Next Chapter".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: It`s very comforting to have someone who knows everything about you, that respects you, understands. Has gone through similar things. I can really relate to his mother passing. He can really relate to my father passing. I mean, there is so many similarities in our life that I feel like I`m at a really happy, good space.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Good for you, Kim. I am happy for you, actually. It`s still hard to believe that a divorce from Kris Humphries is taking, well, a whole lot longer to wrap up than her 72-day marriage lasted.
But Sean, Kim and Kanye in your minds now, is it a match made in heaven?
KANAN: It`s a match made in heaven from a publicity standpoint. Obviously, Kim not shy around the camera. Kanye, not shy around the camera and the microphone. You know, I think a lot of people figured that this was really just sort of a manufactured relationship and I think the big surprise is the fact that apparently they seem to still be going strong. So you know, everybody loves love, more power to them.
HAMMER: Yes. I say more power to them. I`m not going to stop being a hopeless romantic. At first, I may have been skeptical and cynical, but I`m letting them have this one.
From Kimye`s new beginning to a very unhappy ending. This comes in number eight on our SHOWBIZ Countdown. I was surprised by this. So many people were. Heidi Klum and Seal`s stunning split. None of us saw this coming. The couple renew their vows each year as a show of their undying commitment, and then they suddenly call it quits back in January and shifted into this dramatic and kind of bitter breakup. Seal actually publicly accused Heidi of, as he put it, :fornicating with the help".
Now, in defense, Heidi admitted to ABC`s Katie Couric that she had indeed had moved on, but not until after she split from Seal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATIE COURIC, ABC NEWS HOST: But you are in a relationship right now?
HEIDI KLUM, ACTRESS: I don`t know if I can call it that. I don`t know. You know, it just started. So I don`t know. I don`t know where it`s going to go.
COURIC: It`s with someone who works with you, your bodyguard, this gentleman?
KLUM: Yes.
COURIC: And you`ve known him for a long time?
KLUM: Yes. I`ve known him for four years. And he has been with our family for the last four years. He`s cared for, you know, our entire family, mostly our four children. Helped us tremendously. I trust him. I trust him with my children`s life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s a pretty big and bold statement there. And then, of course, the question everybody was asking, after being so open about their union, did they have no choice but to be very public about their split?
Tamar, I imagine you have to agree this is one of the most shocking splits of the year?
BRAXTON: It was shocking and definitely heartbreaking. I thought that Seal and Heidi would be together forever, you know? And I`m so sad -- still sad about it, still shocked about it. But I just hope they`re both happy now. But I`m just so sad about it. I just want them to get back together.
HAMMER: Well, I don`t see that happening, Tamar. I`m sorry to disappoint you as we head into the new year. But hopefully, from my standpoint, maybe they will have learned something about it or at least, about how public they should be about the relationship.
How do you maintain she`s moved on, Sean? But you know, do you think she should real in it this time around, perhaps, hold back on the public details about her love life?
KANAN: You know, I think maybe that`s a good idea. But here`s the thing. This is not as uncommon as it seems. If you remember years ago, this happened with Princess Stephanie and her bodyguard. And I`m going to give a little piece of advice to all the guys out there -- you don`t let the fox in the hen house.
I mean, if you have a guy that looks like Olivier Martinez protecting your wife, brother, you`re asking for it, you know. If I ever get to the point where I can afford to have a full time bodyguard for my wife and kids, this guy is going to be fat. He`s going to have some moles on his face, probably, thinning hair and just really know how to handle himself and have a gun.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: -- the whole nanny dilemma that a lot of couples go through.
Well, things are just heating up as we count down the "Top Ten SHOWBIZ Shockers of the Year". Is it Rihanna for now professing her love for her ex-Chris Brown even after he beat her up? Or is it Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes for their stunning split which even seemed to take Tom by surprise? What will be number one?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHERINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON`S MOTHER: I`m here today to let everyone know I`m fine and I`m here with my children. And my children would never do a thing like that to hold me against my will. They are stupid.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The report is stupid, she says. Number seven in our SHOWBIZ Countdown of the top 10 "SHOWBIZ Shockers", Jackson`s family drama, you remember this, back in July? Jackson family matriarch Katherine had to deny those disturbing reports that she had actually been kidnapped by her own children. She did not like that at all.
Well, let`s keep our "SHOWBIZ Shockers" countdown going. We`re now up to number six. It is Prince Harry`s naked Las Vegas romp. Prince Harry became an overnight social media sensation when the nude pictures of his royal behind spread across the Internet.
I want to bring back reality TV star, Tamar Braxton, and soap star Sean Kanan. So guys, this was as we know, not very typical royal behavior, was it? Sean, were you surprised there wasn`t more backlash for Harry`s antics over this whole thing?
KANAN: Well, first of all, I don`t know that I agree this wasn`t typical royal behavior. I mean, going all the way back to, you know, Fergie and Andrew and their shenanigans. And I mean, look, Harry`s probably like, I`m never going to be king. I want to go to Vegas. I want to get my freak on. What`s the big deal? I want to play a little bit of naked smote girl and have a couple gals come up to the suite. If you were a prince, wouldn`t you do the same thing, A.J.?
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Fergie was never naked for all the world to see. I`m just going to point that out right now, as far as I can best recall.
KANAN: And thank God for that.
HAMMER: Well, and here`s the thing. I actually think, and one of my conspiracy theories is this whole pregnancy with the prince and duchess was to sort of take the attention away from the nakedness of Prince Harry. But more stunning, people around the world - silly theory -- people were stripping down as you see here, they were posting their own pictures all over the Internet, supporting Harry.
So Tamar, maybe you know, Sean has a point here and it`s almost as if people loved Harry more because of his wild antics?
BRAXTON: I know I did.
(LAUGHTER)
BRAXTON: I mean, who thought a prince could have that much fun, you know what I mean? Kind of put himself on the market like that, you know? So I think it was a great thing, a great way for him to sow his royal oats all over town.
HAMMER: And it didn`t stay in Vegas. We all know that.
Well, from a royal stunner to a superstar confession, Rihanna`s stunning and tearful admission of love. That brings us to number five on the countdown. She revealed to the world that Oprah`s "Next Chapter", she`s still in love with her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, TV HOST: What do you want the world to know about your relationship with him.
RIHANNA, SINGER; We`ve been working on our friendship again. And now we`re very, very close friends. We built a trust again. And that`s it. We love each other, and we probably always will. And that`s not anything that we`re going to try to change. It`s not something you can shut off if you`ve ever been in love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, that made a lot of people pretty upset. On the heels of that bombshell revelation, more frequent signs of a rekindled romance between the two of them. We saw a lot of playful tweets, intimate photos like this that were made public. And the duo even recorded more songs together. Yes, there was a lot of outrage, but Rihanna`s living by her song, nobody`s business.
Tamar, are you with her?
BRAXTON: Well, at this point yes, because, you know, when all of that shenanigans happened between those two, they were kids. And at this point, they have to figure things out on their own right now. And honestly, we shouldn`t intervene, we should let them grow up and figure things out. But she should definitely be careful.
HAMMER: Yes. No, we wish them the best. I really hope she is careful and that it works out for them.
Well, from renewed love to new love. At number four, in the SHOWBIZ Countdown, Snooki`s surprise. You remember when Snooki dropped her pregnancy bombshell news, even her best friends were speechless. Let`s watch that moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is desire time, and Nicole looks like a bag of (EXPLETIVE DELETED) chicken bones.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve never seen Nicole this type of nervous, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s looks like you are both.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s cute. It`s my cake. I love it. You have to see the top design.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the way, I`m pregnant.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You`re pregnant?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And after that, Sean, of course, the world was worried, could Snooki actually really take care of a baby? Do you think she`s going to prove all the naysayers wrong?
KANAN: I mean, you know, nothing says motherhood like clubbing until 4:00 a.m. and bringing random guys back to the smooch room. But you know, here is the thing, I mean, with the wild success of the show, it only makes sense that they need to find new material for a spin-off, and apparently this is the next chapter. And you know, again, seriously, wishing her the best.
HAMMER: Yes. Well, that`s how she --
BRAXTON: She did herself a favor.
HAMMER: She did us all a favor, I think and general republic.
We still haven`t named our top "SHOWBIZ Shockers" of the year. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes stunned us all when they split up since Tom was blindsided by the whole thing. Of course, the Kristen Stewart cheating scandal is right up there. She was caught on camera kissing her married director. But there can only be one number one shocker of the year, what will it be?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes` divorce bombshell comes in at number three on our SHOWBIZ Countdown of "Biggest Shockers of the Year". With Katie`s bold blindside, a quick, "Can I divorce?" And life after Tom, it all happened so fast. We have whiplash.
We are counting down the "Top Ten SHOWBIZ Shockers of the Year". These are the big stories that have been so stunning, quite frankly, we never saw them coming.
Coming in at number two, Twihards were dealt a devastating blow when Kristen Stewart revealed to the world that she had cheated on her boyfriend with Robert Pattinson with movie director Rupert Sanders. That`s when all eyes turned to Pattinson waiting for word that he was in fact OK.
Let`s watch what he told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: How are you? Is Robert Pattinson OK?
ROBERT PATTINSON, ACTOR: Yes.
FEMALE REPORTER: Was it weird to see all the hubbub about all this reporting about you?
PATTINSON: Since the first "Twilight", I mean, you enter this realm where everything`s -- you get stuff reported about you, and it`s weird.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It has to be weird. Pattinson, not exaggerating at all, the world has been watching his every move since we got to know him.
Let me bring back singer and reality star, Tamar Braxton and soap star and author, Sean Kanan. So Kristen Stewart really took a lashing from fans over the scandal; they were not kind to her, Sean. Do you think people were too tough on her? Pattinson certainly never lashed out publicly, which I was pleased to see.
KANAN: Were they too tough on her? I don`t know. I mean, we don`t know really what happened, you know, the inner imagination of what went on with all of that. You know, all I can say was, talking about being skeptical and cynical, A.J., the timing was a little suspect, wasn`t it? You know, the final installment of this epic film franchise comes out and suddenly they`re rekindling their romance just in time for the press junket?
HAMMER: Yes, no, I hear what you`re saying,. That was one of the wild theories out there. I`d like to believe as much as we know this stuff has gone on in Hollywood that it wasn`t the case in this case. But that aside --
BRAXTON: She got what she deserved, she`s fine.
HAMMER: Well, there you go. All right.
That`s a perfect reason to bring us to number one. It`s our biggest "SHOWBIZ Shocker of the Year". Sadly, it was Whitney Houston`s untimely death. This is at the top of our list. Of course, the world mourned Houston`s sudden death, none more, of course, than her only daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who talked on Oprah`s "Next Chapter" about coping with her loss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Have you had the visitation? I know some people think we`re crazy. But a lot of people get where they actually come to you in your dreams.
BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN: Oh, yes.
WINFREY: You`ve had that?
BROWN: Yes. Especially throughout the house, lights, you know, turn on and off. And I`m like, Mom, what are you doing?
WINFREY: Really?
BROWN: Yes. You know, We still like -- I can still sit there and laugh with her. I can still sit there and talk to her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s nice to see a smile on her face. It was a tough time covering the death of Whitney Houston. Such a tragic ending. We`re all thinking of Bobbi Kristina, how she`s doing as she moves forward. It hasn`t been easy for her, understandably.
But now that Bobbi Kristina is starring in a reality show with her family, Tamar, do you see, maybe reality TV is actually a good move for her as she tries to cope with life without mom?
BRAXTON: I mean, in some ways I do, only because we get to get a good glimpse into what`s really going on. But I don`t think right now is the time to make her big Hollywood move. I think she needs to take some time out and grieve and process what actually happened this year, because everything happened so fast. Whitney passed and then she got this reality show. And that`s just three months later. And I just think she needs to sit down for five minutes and re-evaluate her life.
HAMMER: Tamar, do you think she`ll have luck stepping out of the shadow of her mom? She wants to be a singer on her own.
BRAXTON: I think she will. She`s very talented. I`ve heard her sing, she can really sing. I`ve seen her act, she`s a great actress. But I think right now, she can`t concentrate on her career until she processes what just happened to her.
HAMMER: Yes. It certainly was an unbelievable time. It was something to experience as someone who had to report on it being out there at the funeral. I don`t want to end on such a somber note, though. We`re going to remember Whitney`s big smile. Her white, white teeth and always lightening up the room when she walked in. I know you have been experienced that in person, Tamar.
And Sean, thank you as well for being here. It`s been great having you both here. Make sure you download Tamar`s new single, "Love and War". It is available in iTunes. You can grab a copy of Sean`s book, it`s called "The Modern Gentleman" and it is in stores right now.
That was a lot of fun counting down the biggest "SHOWBIZ Shockers of the Year". There is certainly was a lot to talk about.
Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Remember, you can always watch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We are on Monday through Thursday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
HLN continues right now.
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