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Showbiz Tonight
Is Beyonce Lip Synching a Big Deal?; Taylor Swift Taking Break from Dating Scene; Manti Te`o Speaks Out about Hoax; Justin Bieber`s Mom to Produce Anti-Abortion Film; Top 5 Buzzmakers of the Day
Aired January 23, 2013 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh-oh. Serena has broken a racket on the court. That is -- that racket is history. And she`s throwing that under the seat.
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A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Serena Williams loses it. The grand slam great gets smoked by a teenager at the Australian Open and has a fit. So will her McEnroe moment top tonight`s "Big Buzz Makers" countdown?
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer. Thank you for watching.
We will have more on the top SHOWBIZ Buzz Makers of the day, but first it`s stunning superstar newsmakers. Tonight, three stars in the middle of some pretty explosive controversies involving mystery, intrigue, and love drama. Which newsmaker will be No. 1?
Well, kicking off our top three "SHOWBIZ News Makers," Beyonce and her lip sync stunner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE, SINGER (singing): Oh, say, can you see by the dawn`s early light...
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HAMMER: Well, the question of whether or not Beyonce lip synced her national anthem performance at Monday`s inauguration really heated up even more today.
CNN spoke with the owner of the company that ran the audio board that was used during the inauguration ceremony. And he dropped several hints that her performance was pre-recorded, but he would not say definitively whether or not she was lip syncing.
At first the U.S. Marine Band, which provided the instrumentals, said she was lip syncing, and then the band released a statement saying they don`t know for sure. You think somebody got to them?
Well, what`s Beyonce saying about all this? Nothing.
Joining me right now from Hollywood, Michael Yo, host of Yahoo!`s "The Yo Show." Also in Hollywood, also from Yahoo! Nikki Boyer, host of "Daytime in No Time."
So guys, you saw the headlines today, just like me. But let`s put one up today that appeared today in a New York City newspaper. This from "The New York Daily News," "Star-Spangled Scammer." Michael Yo, are you feeling scammed, my friend?
MICHAEL YO, HOST, YAHOO!`S "THE YO SHOW": Not at all. Here`s the thing. Here`s the thing.
I`ve known Beyonce for years, ever since she was a little girl trying to get her records played. They would sing a cappella at the radio station I worked at. So we all know she can sing. And for people to be comparing her to Milli Vanilli and Ashlee Simpson, that whole incident on "SNL," it`s ridiculous.
She can sing live. We all know that. You just need to get over it. Chris Crocker said leave Britney alone and I`m saying leave Beyonce alone.
HAMMER: OK. Just don`t go on YouTube with a video for it and color your hair platinum, please.
YO: No.
HAMMER: I would understand it if I`d paid for a Beyonce concert and I showed up, and she lip-sank her way through a concert performance. I would feel kind of ripped off. Especially from someone we know can sing.
But I don`t feel scammed by this at all, and I think people need to let it go. Nikki, you with me?
NIKKI BOYER, YAHOO!`S "DAYTIME IN NO TIME": You know, I am with you. I feel like it`s not a big scam. It`s not a big deal.
But having said that, I do think that, when you`re watching Beyonce in concert and you`re seeing her dancing and doing her thing and she`s -- she`s lip syncing, it`s part of the deal.
But there is a little tiny part of me that thinks this is the inauguration. This is the one time you`re supposed to sing your heart out, and she`s singing to a track quite possibly. And I just -- there`s something that feels a little shady about it. Just a little bit.
HAMMER: Yes. Yes.
YO: No.
HAMMER: And I`m listening to you saying this is the inauguration. If there`s one time that you want to make sure it`s absolutely perfect, this would be that time.
But listen, Michael Yo, you and I not the only ones rushing to Beyonce`s defense today. A lot of music stars are speaking out, too, saying that pre-recorded music tracks merely a fact of musicianship.
And let`s take a look at who`s got Beyonce`s back. Jennifer Lopez told "The Daily Show" all performers have to do it at some point.
Another ex-"American Idol" judge, Steven Tyler, also has Beyonce`s back for a different reason, as you see, telling TMZ, "Beyonce is so hot, she can do anything. Let`s just get real."
Now, Aretha Franklin, of course, the queen, sang live at the president`s inauguration back in 2009. She told ABC News that "Beyonce did a beautiful job with the pre-record. Next time I`ll probably do the same." You might remember, she wasn`t thrilled with how it went for her a few years ago.
Nineties boy bands New Kids on the Block, 98 Degrees, and Boyz II Men are all together. They`re getting ready to go on tour and they tell SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they also don`t have a problem with it. Listen to this.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A dozens reasons why. I mean, it could be for timing issues. It could be for flyovers. It could be because the television production company said, you need to lip sync this so we make sure there`s no audio trouble.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, it is the inauguration of the president of the United States of America. So...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I still don`t think she did though.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t care.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whether she did or didn`t, she`s Beyonce. She has earned the right to not want to sing when she doesn`t want to sing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And there you have it. And all these stars are speaking out about lip-sync-gate, but Beyonce, of course, hasn`t said a word about it, Michael. Do you think that Beyonce should come clean about whether or not she lip synced? Because I certainly think that we would want to know why if she did.
YO: No, I don`t think she should say anything at all. Look, if she lip synced, she lip synced. I think the fact is, we all know she can really sing. And I -- and you haven`t heard from her publicist. She hasn`t made a statement, because this is ridiculous.
If you know the music industry, like Boyz II Men said, everybody does it. So this is not a big deal.
HAMMER: Yes. But good luck to her ever doing an interview again if she doesn`t speak out. It`s going to be the No. 1 question on everybody`s lips.
BOYER: Absolutely. Yes.
HAMMER: All right. No. 2 on the SHOWBIZ Countdown of "Superstar News Makers" tonight. Taylor Swift staying single. Could it be?
We all know her as a serial dater. But she is telling "Vibe" magazine she needs to take a break from romance. Here`s part of what she said: "Part of me just wants to be alone."
One possible reason for Taylor`s dating sabbatical, well, Radar Online reports that Swift is tired of people making jokes about her habit of dating a lot and, oh, writing songs about her exes.
Michael Yo, you happen to be one of those people making jokes about her. You recorded what I thought was a very funny video spoof of Taylor`s song "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." You called it -- what was it? - - "We Are Never" -- We Were Never Ever Actually Together," right?
YO: Actually together. Yes, yes.
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YO: So this girl calls me up last night and is like, "I`m breaking up with you." I`m like how you going to break up with somebody you`re not even with?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Same here. This girl was like ready to take my last name. And I was like, "Taylor, I don`t even know your last name."
YO: Wait, wait, wait. Did you just say Taylor?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Why?
YO (singing): No. We were never, ever, ever actually together. We were never, ever, ever...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Michael, we`re getting it.
BOYER: He was lip syncing.
HAMMER: Well, yes, that is quite clear. He doesn`t have Beyonce`s talent.
But Michael, the reports -- the reports that I know you`re seeing are just like the ones I`m seeing, that jokes like yours may be responsible for driving Taylor Swift from the dating pool entirely. So I must ask you, do you feel kind of responsible?
YO: No. I don`t feel responsible. Let me tell you. There`s two people that should never ever be single. And always in bad relationships. That`s Adele and that`s Taylor Swift. Because what is the world going to do without their music? We need their music. So many women wouldn`t know what to do with their lives if they weren`t in bad relationships.
BOYER: Amen.
HAMMER: Michael, I think you -- I think really it`s your fault. But Nikki, do you think that it is -- so you agree with Michael? She shouldn`t stay single?
BOYER: She can`t stay single. She doesn`t know who she is when she`s not in a relationship. I mean, she`s known for saying things like that she has celebrity problems, that she doesn`t know what dress to wear, she doesn`t know what to do when people make fun of her for having a boyfriend.
I mean, this is Taylor`s M.O. She`s always been like this. I think the only part of her that actually really wants to be alone is her pinky toe. So I have a feeling she`ll be dating someone very soon with another great song.
HAMMER: OK. Let me break down what you just said. She doesn`t know who she is when she`s in a relationship. That`s exactly maybe why she shouldn`t be in a relationship. I`m just saying.
But right now it is time for today`s No. 1 newsmaker on the SHOWBIZ Countdown. Notre Dame football star Manti Te`o and his sort of confession in his non-existent girlfriend scandal.
So today, "Good Morning America" aired first clips from Te`o`s interview with Katie Couric. Te`o confessed to Katie that, at least for a time, he lied about having a girlfriend who died of leukemia, even after she finding out that she wasn`t real. He told Katie that he found out the truth right before a big national TV interview. Watch this.
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KATIE COURIC, TALK SHOW HOST: You stuck to the script, and you knew that something was amiss, Manti.
MANTI TE`O, NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL PLAYER: Correct.
COURIC: Why?
TE`O: Well, anybody put yourself in my situation. Can you put yourself in my situation? This girl who I committed myself to died on November 12. Now I get a phone call on December 6, saying that she`s alive and that I`m going to be put on national TV two days later, and they asked me about the same question. You know, what would you do?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Really, regardless of what you think about this whole wild crazy situation, he actually makes a pretty good point there about that.
But despite his confession that he lied briefly about the dead girlfriend, as we`re seeing he is sticking to his story that he was the victim of a hoax. Michael, does Te`o`s sort of confession satisfy you in any way?
YO: Look, let`s be honest. Everybody lies. I don`t know how many people get on a treadmill and lie to the treadmill about their weight. So yes, if you have a fake girlfriend, you`re going to absolutely lie about that, too.
I mean, he was put in a bad situation. And I think it`s a thing where he got caught up in it. He was up for a Heisman. They had the national championship game. He was trying to protect his team, and that`s what I think it came down to.
HAMMER: Nikki, do you get where he`s coming from when he tells Katie Couric, "OK, this all came down right before I was about to get involved with something major here," and he just sort of had to -- I don`t know -- stay on point?
BOYER: I get that. I get that there are pressures that I can`t possibly understand.
But I think the bigger issue here is that there might be some mental-health issues happening with someone who thinks that they`re having a relationship, a full-fledged relationship with someone that they`ve never met. So I think if he`s convincing himself of that, he`s probably been lying along the way in his entire career and maybe doesn`t even really realize it. There`s a bigger issue here.
But I think what`s most important is I`m dying to know what the apostrophe in his last name stands for. That`s the big question. What is that?
HAMMER: Yes. I can`t help you and I doubt Katie Couric is going to ask her about that.
BOYER: She needs to ask that.
HAMMER: Michael, nobody`s really defending the guy any more, are they, where maybe a few were at first?
YO: Well, no, no, no. I mean, I defend him on, like, protecting his team. But as far as lying about a fake girlfriend, like Nikki said, you`re dating a girl online for a year. That is weird. And you never met her.
But, you know, half of me kind of believes -- kind of believes him because I read a story today that he actually sent flowers to the funeral home. So he really did believe she was dead when he said -- you know?
HAMMER: And the conspiracy theorists would have a problem with that, too. But Michael, Nikki, we`ll leave it there. Thank you both so much.
Let`s move now from some serious news makers to some serious buzz makers tonight, including Madonna. She`s making big headlines with this new workout video.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madonna and I, we developed this program, "Addicted to Sweat," based on the workouts that I do with Madonna every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: There`s no question Madonna is one of the fittest women on the planet, even at 54, but could she be gearing up to become the next Jane Fonda?
What about this? Look at Serena Williams pulling a John McEnroe at the Australian Open: injured, beaten but will her shocking meltdown take the No. 1 slot on the SHOWBIZ Countdown of tonight`s top five buzz makers?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
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HAMMER: Right now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Geico`s 15 Minutes of Fame." The 6-year-old YouTube star with mad rapping skills and a super love of Super Bowl contenders the San Francisco 49ers.
Yes, cutie-pie Sarah Redden first went viral when she dropped her "Kaepernicking" track earlier this season about 49ers QB, Colin Kaepernick. And now she is back. It`s round two, now that the 49ers are Super Bowl bound in just 11 days. I want you to watch Sarah`s brand-new, worldwide viral video, "Kaepfornia Gold."
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(MUSIC)
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HAMMER: Mad skills, right? Did I just say mad skills? Let me bring in Michael Yo. He`s the cohost of "OMG Insider" and host of "The Yo Show" on Yahoo!
All right. Getting a little carried away, Michael. But here we have Sarah, now fully launched into the YouTube fame game with those two 49ers hits. I`m guessing that adds up to, like, 30 minutes of fame. And I think, Michael, she can extend this to perhaps even 45 minutes. What do you think?
YO: I think she`s pretty amazing. Because the whole fact that she`s so young. When I was that young I was playing with G.I. Joes, much less being on YouTube.
I think she has talent. I think San Francisco 49ers is hot; it`s a hot commodity, because they`re going to be in the Super Bowl. And I really think she is going to have a long rap career, because look at her; she`s so cute. How can you not love that face?
HAMMER: She`s absolutely adorable, and she can throw a football, too. I mean, come on.
YO: Yes.
HAMMER: And she is certainly riding her fame tricycle right now, because she`s got hundreds of thousands of YouTube hits. She`s got a Twitter page with more followers than me.
And FOX actually used one of her tracks -- well, that`s not too hard. FOX used one of her tracks in a 49ers pregame show. I`m thinking maybe a little Super Bowl time for Sarah. What do you think? Is it possible?
YO: You know what? What if she jumped on stage with Beyonce and did her rap? How cool would that be? Beyonce and this little girl on stage.
I`m telling you, she`s going to be around for a while. A lot of people wish they had a career that this girl`s already had in the industry.
HAMMER: Yes, see, but already you`re trying to introduce scandal into the Super Bowl, because as you see, obviously in the video, Sarah, talented as she may be, she`s lip syncing in the video. And we don`t...
YO: Oh, no. We don`t want that.
HAMMER: We don`t want to create any more problems, you know, with Beyonce at the Super Bowl.
But think about it. The last time we saw a 6-year-old star like this was when Sophia Grace and also Rosie, these fine-looking two young ladies here, took over "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." I`m not being all Brent Musburger on you. But they`re beautiful young ladies.
They did this cover of Nicki Minaj`s "Super Bass."
Now Sarah is now actually making her own original tracks, and she told a British newspaper that she makes up all of her own lyrics. She does the videos with her brother and then they record them all on his laptop. So he`s got some skills, too. Michael, could we be looking at the next Sophia Grace and Rosie with Sarah? I think so.
YO: You know what? Maybe so. But she needs to find a partner. She doesn`t have a partner. So we need to find somebody to team up with her so they can have -- be a rap duo, so they can go out and do shows.
Like I said, the girl`s talented. If she really does write her own raps, that`s talent. Because like I said, I wasn`t writing raps at six years old. I was just learning how to probably walk. That`s how slow I was.
HAMMER: You were a little -- you were a little delayed in that.
YO: Yes. That`s right. I was delayed in everything at six years old. So she`s way, way ahead of me. And good for her. She`s doing something positive, and it`s fun to watch. And the 49er fans must be going nuts right now.
HAMMER: It is fun to watch. I think her parents are having a good time. And, you know, the fact that you were playing with your G.I. Joes at six years old and not yet walking, we`re not going to hold that against you, Michael. Because we appreciate you being here.
YO: Thank you. I appreciate it. I had a blast.
HAMMER: All right, man. Always good to see you.
Well, speaking of 15 minutes of fame, did J. Crew just put the kibosh on its own inauguration day celebrity? Why is J. Crew retiring the first lady`s sparkly belt and daughter Malia`s plum coat? Why would they do that? You know, you`d think they could have cashed in big-time here.
It`s the SHOWBIZ Countdown of "Biggest Buzz Makers" tonight. Will J. Crew`s potential fashion faux pas top our list?
Or could it be Lindsay Lohan? Listen to this. She has reportedly rejected a half-million-dollar offer to appear on "Dancing with the Stars." Lindsay, it`s $500,000 to dance.
Well, only one story can top our SHOWBIZ Countdown of today`s top five "Buzz Makers." The question is which will it be?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve been waiting. You made such a bold entrance. Doesn`t appreciate twists. Mr. ...
DANIEL CRAIG, ACTOR: Bond. James Bond.
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HAMMER: Big news for Adele fans tonight. Who`s not an Adele fan really? The singer all set to perform her Bond theme, "Skyfall," at the Oscars this year. This will be the first time she`s performed the theme live. It is up for Best Original Song award.
And the rest of the artists nominated for the Oscar are usually invited to perform, as well. So that means, of course, for the first time in a long time, there may be quite a few actual performances in the music genre at the Academy Awards this year.
Right now it`s "SHOWBIZ Controversy." We`re talking about Justin Bieber`s mom and her controversial mission. Listen to this.
Pattie Mallette is now stepping out of her son`s shadow. She`s raising some eyebrows. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can reveal that the pop star`s mom is producing an anti-abortion film.
Now, her hope is that it brings in $10 million to help discourage women from terminating their pregnancies. But will Bieber`s mom possibly have the same powerful influence on millions of girls that her son does?
Here`s CNN`s Carol Costello for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT/ANCHOR: Pressured as a single mom to have an abortion, Pattie Mallette says she refused, and a pop star was born.
PATTIE MALLETTE, JUSTIN BIEBER`S MOM: Hello. My name is Pattie Mallette, and I`m the mother of Justin Bieber.
COSTELLO: Today, Mallette is pushing an anti-abortion message, and she`s doing it in a way, some say, that`s quite effective. She hopes to raise $10 million to fight abortion through a movie she produced called "Crescendo."
The movie stars former Miss USA Ali Landry and will be shown in theaters across the country. It`s produced by a former atheist, Jason Jones, whose Web site, Movie to Movement, promotes faith-based movies. One of Jones` most famous projects for him, the anti-Obama film, "2016: Obama`s America."
JASON JONES, FILMMAKER: If we`re going to end abortion, we need rich people powerful people and famous people. We need Hollywood to step up.
COSTELLO: Jones got his wish in Bieber`s mother. Pattie. Pregnancy centers will get a boost, too. "Crescendo" screens will serve as fundraisers for the Christian centers, which critics say masquerade as all- inclusive women`s health centers when, in reality, they don`t mention abortion as an option.
Those centers of late have been heavily promoted by another celebrity mom, Pam Tebow, Tim`s mom, who often speaks to women in crisis. Here are the Tebows in an interview with a Christian group, Focus on the Family.
PAM TEBOW, TIM TEBOW`S MOM: Girls have those options. They have a choice. And God really has his -- his hand on the situation. There`s so many people out there willing to help if they give them a chance.
TIM TEBOW, PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYER: God loves you. And he loves your baby. There are lots of people that will help you. Don`t kill your baby.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Obviously, some pretty strong and powerful stuff that a lot of people don`t agree on.
Justin Bieber appears to be pretty uncomfortable with his mom`s decision to back an anti-abortion film, despite his own Christian beliefs. Now, according to "The Chicago Sun-Times," a longtime Bieber associate says that "Justin is just very uncomfortable about political issues, especially ones like abortion that are very divisive. He`s all about entertaining fans with his music and not interested in pushing a political agenda."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out several times to Pattie Mallette. She has not responded as of show time.
Well, Justin Bieber`s mom not the only one stirring the pot tonight. Oh, no. I am firing up a SHOWBIZ Countdown of today`s biggest buzz-making stories like this.
Did you see Serena`s meltdown? Wow. She totally loses it at the Australian Open. The grand slam champ, boom, totally destroys her racket after getting smoked by a teenager. But is Serena`s on-court tantrum bigger than Katherine Webb going Hollywood? The former Miss Alabama, made famous by Brent Musburger`s reaction to her beauty is now diving head-first into reality TV.
Of course, only one story can be today`s top "Buzz Maker" on the SHOWBIZ Countdown. Which will it be?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Time now for "SHOWBIZ Say What?" Take a look at Arnold Schwarzenegger as he poses for photos atop a hotel roof that`s just outside the Kremlin in Moscow. Now, he was promoting his new film, "The Last Stand," but what do you think`s on Arnold`s mind? Share your thought bubble with us at the HLNTV.com/ShowbizTonight. Fill in the thought bubble. We will share our favorite answers tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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HAMMER: Right now the SHOWBIZ Countdown, today`s "Biggest Buzz Makers."
Serena`s slam. Serena Williams clearly not a happy camper after getting beaten by a 19-year-old upstart. But is Serena`s racket tantrum more mind- blowing than Madonna channeling her inner Jane Fonda?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madonna and I, we developed this program, "Addicted to Sweat," based on the workout that I do with Madonna every day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No sweat, no candy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What will top the SHOWBIZ Countdown, top five "Biggest Buzz Makers"? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer. It is time to count down the top five biggest buzz makers of the day. And we kick things off at number five with tennis champion Serena Williams and her stunning upset. I`ve got to tell you , I feel very bad for her tennis racket today. Let`s watch.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh-oh. Serena has broken a racket on the court. That is -- that racket is history. And she threw the racket under the seat. I think she`s going to take a ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, thank goodness it was only a tennis racket. I`m actually thinking it`s worth more than it was worth before she did that now. Nikki Boyer, a host of "Daytime in No Time" on Yahoo! TV joins me tonight from Hollywood. So, Nikki, Serena`s stunning loss ended a pretty big streak for her 20 wins. She hadn`t lost a match in the grand slam tournament since the French Open, which was back in August.
BOYER: Right.
HAMMER: Her opponent`s 19 years old, Sloane Stephens is her name. And she was apparently just as shocked as Serena. Now, sportsmanship is important, but I have to believe it is tough to be Zen in a moment like that for Serena. I mean can you blame her?
BOYER: I cannot blame her. And there`s a little part of me that when I`m watching it, I`m like, yeah, get it! Get it! So, it feels good to see her do that. I think she`s quite amazing. I`ve always loved her. Just listen - John McEnroe used to do it all the time. And I cannot blame her. But I have to admit that the hitting the ground with the tennis racket is a lot easier than hitting that tiny little ball. So I can`t be mad at her.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Well, yeah, it is. But she is a pro. I`m still waiting to hear back if she damaged the tennis court with her big smack down there.
BOYER: Yes, exactly.
HAMMER: Let me bring in Skyler Stone who`s also in Hollywood. Skyler puts on a great show, by the way, at the Hollywood Improv, a brand new show is coming up on Sunday, February 27th. All right, Skyler, you saw the little tantrum there. But before Serena threw her tennis racket, she`d already rolled her ankle, she had suffered a back injury. So, really, it wasn`t Serena at her best. Do you give her a pass on this?
SKYLER STONE, COMEDIAN: Absolutely. And if I hear that the National Tennis Association or whatever they`re called, they say oh, we`re very sorry about this. We`re very angry. I`m calling them out on that, all right? Because let`s just get to the bottom line. People are talking about tennis. Let it be.
(LAUGHTER)
STONE: Like I think it`s great that she did this. All right? When`s the last time you talked about tennis?
HAMMER: Yeah. Well, I happen to be a huge tennis fan. I tried to get to the U.S. Open here in New York every day. You certainly don`t like to see this happen on the court. It`s unprofessional and unsportsmanlike. But at the same time there is a certain sympathy that I think the fans have for the players. Let`s see if se USTA has that same sympathy. Skyler, is going to be knocking at your door, tennis people.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: But from Serena`s stunning upset to Lindsay Lohan`s reported turning down an offer to join the next season of "Dancing with the Stars." And I think it was a mistake.
This is number four on the SHOWBIZ Countdown. TMZ is reporting that LiLo turned down the deal worth a reported $550,000 because she doesn`t want to be a reality star. That`s apparently fine with Wendy Williams who doled out the reasons why Lindsay would never be able to pull off a stint on the show in the first place. You`ve got to watch with me what Wendy said on her show today.
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WENDY WILLIAMS, TALK SHOW HOST: You would never -- you would never be able to do "Dancing with the Stars" even if you wanted to, Lindsay. Because you have to have clarity and presence. Now, you know I come from a place of substance abuse, so I feel as though I can talk to you. There are two things that I could not imagine doing on drugs.
(LAUGHTER)
WILLIAMS: One -- if that`s allegedly your problem, Lindsay. One, "Dancing with the Stars," because the commitment is six days a week, six hours a day practicing. You are all up on your partner. There`s no time for taking smoke breaks, toot breaks, pill breaks.
(LAUGHTER)
WILLIAMS: Nothing. You are all up. Second of all, they also put mics and cameras every place on "Dancing with the Stars." Every -- about the only place that you`re safe is in a stall in the bathroom. And in your case, they will probably mic and camera that too.
(LAUGHTER)
WILLIAMS: And then the other thing that I could not imagine doing high is this show.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yeah, I mean, it`s really hard to argue with that. And, of course Wendy knows of what she speaks. She did the show. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out to ABC for a comment, their reps said that they don`t comment on the casting. But Nikki, if it`s true that she`s been offered this gig, do you think that Lindsay needs to reconsider it? Or are you at one with Wendy Williams?
BOYER: I -- oh, this is -- I think that Wendy Williams is spot on. Spot on. But at the same time I think it`s more ego driven for Lindsay Lohan. I think she thinks she`s a full fledged movie star and that movie stars don`t do Reality TV type shows. I do think it`s coming from a place of she`s a little too big for her britches. So, I think she should reconsider. I think she should do it.
HAMMER: No, I think that is totally it. Lindsay reportedly does want to stay focused on her acting and not be seen in a reality show. And I get that, but at the same time something has got to give for Lindsay at one point if she wants to regain credibility. And we`ve seen stars who maybe had fallen off the map a little bit or needed a little boost to go on the show. And it`s done wonders for them. Skyler, do you think it`s really a stupid move for Lindsay if she`s really turning this down?
STONE: I mean, I think it`s a great move for anyone that would have had to have dance with her. Because I wouldn`t want my pelvic region near hers, you know.
(LAUGHTER)
STONE: I wouldn`t want to be rubbing up on her at all. With where she`s been, I`m sorry. I think it`s great. I think everyone`s going, oh, my gosh, I don`t have to dance with her, that`s fantastic. You know.
HAMMER: So, a collective sigh of relief, perhaps, from the dancing pros of "Dancing with the Stars." Well, that takes us from one star rejecting Reality TV to another who`s just diving right in. We`re talking Miss Alabama Katherine Webb. And of course, she first gained her 15 minutes of fame after ESPN sportscaster Brent Musburger fawned all over her and her beauty during her boyfriend`s college Football National Championship game. Well, now she`s reportedly signed on to ABC`s new reality show "Celebrity Diving." Nikki, I think Katherine should do what she`s doing. Seize every opportunity that`s coming her way. Right?
BOYER: 100 percent. She needs to dive in head first, no pun intended. I mean, pun actually intended. She needs to go for it. This girl was on television for five minutes. And I don`t think she knew what was going to happen after that. I`m sure she could have never dreamed of this. And I think she needs to capitalize on every single opportunity that comes her way. So, she`s being smart. She`s not pulling a Lindsay. She is going for it. And I actually wish her a little bit of luck.
HAMMER: Yes.
BOYER: Because reality stars have to come from somewhere. So they may as well come from an interesting story like this.
HAMMER: Yeah, and it seems to me, at least from my perspective she`s doing things in a smart way. I`m she`s sort of sifting through all of the various and the many offers that are coming here way. But it`s not like she`s out doing a whole ton of press, really getting too overexposed. And she certainly does know how to handle herself under pressure in an interview situation. You remember how she handled the tough questions after the whole Brent moment on the "Today" show. Matt Lauer asked her, how she planned to handle her 15 minutes of fame, and here`s what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, NBC ANCHOR: What do you plan to do with this newfound fame and celebrity? It can be a double edged sword.
KATHERINE WEBB, MISS ALABAMA: You know, I`m honestly really shocked that it really took off like that. And, you know, I think that we need to draw back our attention to who the real winners are and that`s, you know, the Alabama football team. They spent so long getting ready for the season and they won their second back-to-back national championship. And that`s such an accomplishment. And, you know, I`m flattered at all the attention. And, you know, I`m humbled, but at the same time I think we need to kind of draw back our focus to who the real winners are. And - but at the same time, you know, I`ll do whatever I can to help the team out and support A.J and do all that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And I`d like to say thank you for your support. Listen. Obviously she can handle the pressure, Skyler. Are you with Nikki that she needs to seize every opportunity that comes her way as long as it makes sense?
STONE: First of all, I just want to comment on the fact - I mean this A.J. guy needs to write a book. He has like some Obi-Wan Kanobe control over this girl.
(LAUGHTER)
STONE: Like -- this is what -- I think it`s really about the team and what they did all the season ...
BOYER: Well ...
STONE: No, it`s about you right now.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: No, you understood where she was coming from, though. I mean that put her in sort of an awkward position. And I appreciate that she appreciated that.
STONE: I don`t know. I don`t appreciate it. I mean I think she should jump in and do the reality show. I just -- I think she needs to be smart about it, though. I think she needs a restraining order on Brent Musburger. That can guy be allowed nowhere near the set, because if he knows she`s going to be in the bathing suit, he`s going be like, man, look at her, next to that diving board, getting ready, glistening with water on her knees. You just got to keep him away.
HAMMER: Listen, she should be sending Brent Musburger ten percent of everything she makes from here on out on I`m thinking at this point.
(LAUGHTER)
BOYER: Exactly.
STONE: And it`s nice, ten percent, but as long as he`s ten yards away.
HAMMER: Well, OK, I`ll give you that. It is nice to see she was so humbled about it. Hopefully, she`ll remain that way. But Nikki, Skyler, stay where you are. More buzzmakers are coming up. Will the first family take the top spot on our SHOWBIZ Countdown for their dazzling inaugural outfits? Now, J. Crew, the retailer that designed much of what they wore, actually plans to retire some of the items. But will the first family`s fashion beat out Madonna`s brand new workout video?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Madonna and I -- we developed this program, "Addicted to Sweat," based on the workouts that I do with Madonna every day.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No sweat, no candy (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She is 54 and there is no denying that Madonna looks just amazing. Could Madonna do for fitness what she did for music? We`re here to countdown the biggest buzz makers of the day. The question is what`s going to be number one? Also ahead, the bee in apartment 23 is apparently moving out. ABCs don`t trust the bee and Apartment 23 just got canceled.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. How do you think I feel? I only sleep with guys I haven`t slept with before. You know my scorched earth policy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`ve actually had sex before.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh. Get out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Fans are ticked off. They won`t get out. Their public outcry over the cancellation is trending on social media. They want their bee back. Question is, will ABC listen? We`ve got the details coming up in SHOWBIZ trending.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back. We are counting down the top five biggest buzzmakers of the day. Let me recap where we are so far.
Number five was Serena Williams and her stunning upset. And watch this. She takes it out on her tennis racket. Poor racket.
Number four, Lindsay Lohan, reportedly turning down a major offer from "Dancing With the Stars" so she can focus on her acting career.
At number three, it`s Miss Alabama, Katherine Webb. She`s reportedly taking the plunge and joining the cast of ABC`s new reality show "Celebrity Diving."
That brings us to number two on our SHOWBIZ countdown. And Madonna getting big buzz over a new video. And it`s not a music video. It`s a workout video. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MADONNA: When you exercise, what are you working towards? Having a hard body, right? But you want to look good. Sweet candy, eye candy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. A little teaser for her workout video there. Madonna starring in the workout DVD series along with her trainer, Nicole Winhoffer. This is based on the dance and toning training that Madonna does six days a week. You ever wondered how she keeps that toned and sleek body? Well, that`s how she does it. She wants to share it with the world.
Back with me now, Nikki Boyer, who hosts "Daytime in No Time" on Yahoo TV. So, Nikki, does seeing Madonna in the video make you want to sweat like her? Because it does for me.
BOYER: No. It makes me want to eat a giant piece of chocolate cake. I don`t like workout videos. I always think it`s a sign of someone`s career sort of sinking a little bit. Here`s the deal. I used to love Madonna. I was obsessed with her. But if I wanted to watch a wrinkly old woman do a workout video, I`d turn on Richard Simmons.
HAMMER: Hey, hold on a second, oh, I didn`t mean to cut off, that was a great line. If you wanted to watch a wrinkly old woman. Hey, listen, Richard Simmons, a friend of mine, and I`m going to take exception to what you`re saying there. First of all, Madonna`s not a wrinkly old woman. Second of all, neither is Richard Simmons. And maybe Madonna set out to give Richard Simmons a run for his money. I don`t know. Of course, he came up "Sweating to the Oldies." Madonna getting in on that game. But I want to bring back Skyler Stone.
Skyler, it is a little odd, I think, to a lot of people that Madonna, while she`s known for being fit and her fashion and her workout regimen and all of that, when it comes to being at the gym and being in shape, it`s still a strange thing to attach her name to, wouldn`t you think?
STONE: No. I love Madonna. And I literally, I used to have her posters above my bed, if that tells you something. So I will be getting this video. And I don`t know that I`m going to be working out, but I`ll be getting this video, for sure.
HAMMER: OK. I don`t think that`s the intended target market. But I guess any collateral sales are helpful to her, Skyler.
STONE: Exactly.
HAMMER: OK. I see your point. Well, listen, Madonna`s buzzmaking workout video was simply no match for tonight`s SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s number one pick on our SHOWBIZ countdown. This is number one. It`s under the now you see it, now you don`t category. Take a very good look at the colors being shown to you in this particular video clip. The first family`s inauguration wear is heading into retirement. Now, apparently J. Crew, which has become synonymous with the first lady of fashion, has decided to retire the color of that coat that Malia wore on inauguration day which got so much attention. They`ve also decided to retire the first lady`s belt and her purple gloves. They said they are doing this as a sign of respect to the first family. And Nikki, I got to tell you, I don`t know how I feel about this. I mean, I wasn`t going to run out and buy all this stuff. On the one hand, it is nice to respect the first family with the gesture. On the other hand, you know, a lot of people who were watching the inauguration on Monday saying wow, I love that, it`s smart. It`s not crazy expensive. I want to emulate them. I want to copy their fashion sense.
BOYER: Exactly.
HAMMER: Do you think J. Crew is making a huge mistake and they need to reverse course here?
BOYER: I think they do. I think they do. Come on. This is the best ad that you could never pay for. This is - this would have been a great way for them to just sell out multiple times over and over again. I think they`re making a big mistake. Because the fact that the first lady even goes out in something that`s as affordable and comfortable as J. Crew clothing is a bonus. So why not add on to that bonus and sell the crap out of it? I think they`re making a big mistake.
HAMMER: Well, make no mistake about it. J. Crew getting plenty of attention, and a lot of people going into their stores or checking them out because of the clothes. Whether or not these specific clothes are available or not. But, Skyler, are you disappointed you won`t be able to go out and buy Malia`s color?
STONE: So much. It`s all I`ve been thinking about for the like last 48 hours. No, I mean, let`s be honest with ourselves. It doesn`t really matter. And I don`t even think that J. Crew is really doing this. I think they`re saying this and they`re about as serious as every time Kiss has said we`re not going to tour anymore. Yet they tour two years after they say that. (INAUDIBLE). All I`m saying is, they`re not going to retire this outfit. They`re trying to build up demand, then they`re going to release like 50 more. By the way, let`s not make these girls crazy, like don`t like retire their clothes. They`re going to become too self- important. Next thing you know, they`re going to look like those two twins in "The Shining" going, oh my gosh, we`re all--
HAMMER: Let`s hope that doesn`t happen. All right, Nikki and Skyler, thank you both so much.
Well, there`s another star look that`s getting a lot of attention. It`s the look of Tom Brady`s big old pout. The New England Patriots quarterback is getting some flack for his less than sportsmanlike reaction to his championship loss. Is he really chilling with Lance Armstrong? SHOWBIZ Trending is next.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You missed a spot.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not what you were expecting, right? Did you see this? It`s the viral video preview of Kate Upton`s Super Bowl ad for Mercedes-Benz. Of course the ads are the most fun part of the Super Bowl, right? I cannot wait to see the whole commercial.
Right now, SHOWBIZ Trending. We are tracking the most outrageous means, the pictures and the videos that are on social media that are the talk of the day. With me now from Hollywood, our favorite trending expert, Shira Lazar from WhatsTrending.com.
So, Shira, first up, we`ve got to get to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. He is trending. His post-game pout after Sunday`s loss to the Ravens has just taken off. Why?
SHIRA LAZAR, HOST, WHATSTRENDING.COM: Yes, the Internet just went aflame with this picture. He looked disappointed, he looked sad. Kind of like sad Keanu. And so they took that picture and they put him against different backgrounds, including this one. Lance Armstrong. This picture you remember he tweeted with all those jerseys. Well, it seems like both of them are a bit disappointed. They`ve had maybe a bad week or a bad time recently. And so they`re not actually there together. But people are superimposing this picture against backgrounds like that, including one of Kanye and Taylor Swift. Remember that from the VMAs? Disappointing moments including him.
HAMMER: That`s pretty funny. Can I see -- hold on. I want to see Shira`s best pose.
LAZAR: Should I do one?
HAMMER: Yes, can we see?
LAZAR: Me? OK.
HAMMER: That`s pretty good.
LAZAR: But if we`re really going to do it, it would be here.
HAMMER: Some other people who were pouting today we have to talk about. Fans of ABC`s "Don`t Trust the B in Apartment 23" because the show was just canceled. I want to play a favorite moment of mine from the show.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. How do you think I feel? I only sleep with guys I haven`t slept with before. You know my scorched earth policy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`ve actually had sex before.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh. Get out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, come on. The show`s gone? Shira, I can understand why fans are bombarding ABC on social media.
LAZAR: I know. A lot of people -- there`s a small fan base that did like it. James Van Der Beek then tweeted -- and this is surprising because ABC has not made an announcement of the cancellation yet. He tweeted, "they are not airing the last eight episodes." They therefore canceled it. He broke the news basically himself, and all the fans that love the show are now starting a Facebook page to save the show. There`s around over 2,500 likes. Not enough, I think, to actually save it.
HAMMER: It`s worked in the past. I remember one of my favorite shows, "Friday Night Lights," was saved by a lot of online petitioning. Who knows, there`s always "Dawson`s Creek." But finally a low-budget indie film making its debut at the Sundance Film Festival. I love the concept, a horror movie called "Escape from Tomorrow," shot on the inside of Disneyworld, kept a secret. Tell me more.
LAZAR: This is so cool. It`s a guerrilla style movie. They basically spent two weeks in the Disneyworld park, Disneyland park as well. And they had no permission from Disney, and they just shot this entire thing completely guerrilla style with their own little lobs and their own little mics. And even the people in the background, they did not sign any sort of waivers. So they used this as a complete backdrop for a horror movie. It`s a very surreal movie about a father bringing his kids to the parks. And it`s getting a lot of buzz, but who knows if it will actually be able to get to the screen.
HAMMER: We`ll have to see if they can actually get away with it. Shira, great info. Thanks so much.
All those videos already getting big buzz tonight, but I`m about to show you what you`re going to be buzzing about with your friends tomorrow in SHOWBIZ awesomeness. This is our pick for the most awesome SHOWBIZ moment of the day.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Oh, yes, tonight Neil Patrick Harris, Bollywood star and puppet lover. You have got to see this and I will show it to you in moments.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now it is time for SHOWBIZ awesomeness. This is where we name the most awesome SHOWBIZ moment of the day. And today we picked Neil Patrick Harris puppetry. Now, in case you are not familiar, the "How I Met Your Mother" star has a side gig on Youtube`s the Nerdist Channel. It`s an offshoot of the wildly popular podcast by the same name. Neil`s dreams come to life. Each episode is hilarious, and on the season finale of the web series, it`s puppets gone Bollywood. You got to watch it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, ACTOR: Oh, hi. I`m Neil. I sleep a lot. And when I dream, I dream in puppet.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I think that NPH brand is going to take off. I wish my dreams were that exciting.
Moving on now to mommy madness. There are dolls that talk, crawl and weep, but a doll that breastfeeds? Is this creepy or cute? "DR. DREW" taking your calls tonight on this controversial baby doll, next.
END
