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Showbiz Tonight
Chris Brown Feeling Crucified?; Will Beyonce Lip Sync at Super Bowl?; Justin Bieber Sings about Breakup; `Mean Girls` Music in the Works; The Risk and Rewards of `The Real Housewives`; Controversial Super Bowl Ad; A Whopper to Go
Aired January 29, 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)
NENE LEAKES, REALITY TV STAR: What you don`t understand is, while you were running your mouth with him, I was running to the bank, sweetie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good!
LEAKES: And I cashed a Trump check, honey. Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Tonight on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, startling revelations about the risks and rewards of the "Real Housewives." NeNe Leakes hit the Hollywood jackpot, but some "Housewives" are hitting the skids. Tonight we are counting down the top three risks and rewards of keeping it real as a TV housewife.
Hello, I`m A.J. Hammer. Thank you for watching.
And from divorce to bankruptcies, we are going to reveal our SHOWBIZ Countdown about the risks of being a "Real Housewife."
But we first begin with our first big SHOWBIZ Countdown of the night. It`s the top three over-the-top celebrity controversies breaking today.
Kicking things off at No. 3, get a load of this. It`s Chris as Christ? Chris Brown just Instagrammed this picture of Christ on the cross, apparently making a statement that he`s feeling crucified after being accused of punching Grammy-nominated singer Frank Ocean during a little dustup in a West Hollywood parking lot the other night.
Here`s the caption that he put on the painting, which apparently he did himself: "Painting the way I feel today. Focus on what matters."
Now, police have confirmed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT they are investigating this.
Frank Ocean reportedly wants to press charges against Brown. That should give Brown a lot of reason to worry, especially because you know, he`s still on probation for beating up Rihanna four years ago.
In Hollywood, we have comedian Jeff Ross. You know him, of course, from his Comedy Central roasts. He also hosts the hilarious Comedy Central show "The Burn with Jeff Ross."
Also in Hollywood tonight, entertainment host Holland Reid.
Great to have you both here. Look, we still have conflicting reports tonight about who started this fight between Brown and ocean and their respective possies, but it is Brown who`s got the violent rep. And he`s not winning a lot of fans with what really seems to be a self-pitying crucifixion picture. I mean, come on.
This brings us to our first countdown question. Does Chris Brown have a persecution complex? Holland, I begin with you.
HOLLAND REID, ENTERTAINMENT HOST: You know what? OK, here`s the thing. Jesus didn`t go around hitting people. He flipped a couple tables, maybe yelled at a few people, I don`t know. He was hanging out with some sinners, but he wasn`t punching people in the face left and right.
He needs to get over himself. I have no idea why in the world he would even compare himself to Jesus. And maybe he`s one of the other guys hanging -- I don`t know. It`s so ridiculous. It`s definitely a God complex, and he needs to get over himself quickly.
HAMMER: Jeff Ross, are you finding any good in what Chris Brown is doing here?
JEFF ROSS, COMEDIAN: He compares himself to Jesus. Listen, A.J., I hope the story ends the same.
HAMMER: OK. Well...
ROSS: Chris Brown, you know what?
HAMMER: Stop right there, got it, no. OK.
No, go ahead. Go ahead, Jeff.
ROSS: Jesus didn`t turn water into Corvasier. OK? It was a silly claim by him.
HAMMER: Well, his violent history certainly speaks for itself. And look, this is nothing to laugh at.
In 2009 it was Chris versus Rihanna, when he put his then and possible current girlfriend, Rihanna, in the hospital after beating her up during an argument.
Last June it was Chris versus the rapper Drake. The two of them and their entourages got into it at a New York nightclub.
In 2011, it was Chris Brown versus that poor "Good Morning America" chair. Remember, he allegedly threw it out of a window after getting grilled during an interview with quite normal questions, I think?
Holland, it all seems kind of odd to me that Chris is now saying he identifies with Jesus who preached turn the other cheek.
REID: You know what? I think it`s that conflict that he feels untouchable. He can do no wrong.
He`s got a -- he needs a reality check. I don`t know if the people around him are, like, trying to give him a wakeup call. But he seriously needs to get it together quickly. Because hey, all gods fall, and they fall fast and they fall hard. Like your boy just said. And he might end up the same as Jesus if he doesn`t have that reality check quick and fast.
HAMMER: Every time he seems to be getting a break from people, they`re saying, maybe we`ll allow him to sort of get on with his life and stop persecuting him, as he may say, he seems to do something like this.
But there is another music superstar who takes us at No. 2 of our SHOWBIZ Countdown of today`s big controversies. Will Beyonce repeat Lip-sync-gate at the Super Bowl.
Now ponder this, because Beyonce is scheduled to perform the halftime show this Sunday. The big question is: will she lip sync once again as she apparently did during President Obama`s nomination?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE, SINGER (SINGING): Oh, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Look, everyone from Whitney Houston to Madonna to even the great Aretha Franklin have admitted to lip syncing during big live performances.
So is it OK if Beyonce does it again at Sunday`s big game? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did ask that question in our online poll. Look at these results: 37 percent said, yes, it`s OK. But the majority, 63 percent, said, no, this isn`t OK.
And that`s also our next countdown question. Is it OK if Beyonce lip syncs at the Super Bowl? Back to you, Holland Reid.
REID: You know what? Listen, she doesn`t have to prove anything to anyone. We know she can sing. There were circumstances that surrounded the reason why she didn`t sing live. She was cold; she`s a professional. Get over it.
HAMMER: Yes.
REID: She can sing. We know it. Let it go. If she lip syncs at the Super Bowl, then that`s a professional decision. And I think she is more within her right to do so. The girl can sing. That`s my girl. Leave her alone. She doesn`t do anything to anybody whether she lip syncs or not. As a professional decision, I`m on team Bey.
HAMMER: All right. I wish you were a little more passionate about it.
But Jeff Ross, I know you are looking to -- looking forward to the Super Bowl even say so in what I thought was a very funny part of your comedy center show, "The Burn with Jeff Ross." In fact, let`s watch that, shall we?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROSS: During the Super Bowl over 15,000 tons of chips and 8 million pounds of guacamole will be scarfed down, and that`s just in John Madden`s shame closet. Look at him, he puts the "tater" in commentator.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now Jeff, I also know that you did a Beyonce Super Bowl joke. But let`s just say I would have to keep my finger on the bleep button to play it here.
ROSS: Sure.
HAMMER: So let me just ask you, are you OK with Beyonce lip syncing at the Super Bowl if that`s what happens?
ROSS: We do talk about it tonight on "The Burn." I`m OK with her faking it, because when you`re sleeping with Jay-Z, you have to be good at faking something.
HAMMER: Oh, really? OK. All right.
REID: I think -- I don`t think she has to fake it. She loves making that money. She does not have to fake it. Not a little bit.
ROSS: The audience will be faking their applause if she doesn`t sing for real, come on.
HAMMER: Well, maybe -- you know what would be funny is if people just did like that, and we actually...
ROSS: You mean like this?
HAMMER: Right. And they played an applause sound effect or something.
But like the No. 3 and No. 2 "SHOWBIZ Controversies" we are counting down tonight. Our No. 1 controversy involves a major superstar singer, it`s Justin Bieber pulling a Taylor swift.
Yes, just like Taylor, Justin Bieber is singing about an ex who broke his heart. And we`re talking about his ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez here.
The song is called "Nothing Like Us," and today, Justin confirmed to "Billboard" that, yes, it is all about Selena. And it`s not a teasing revenge kind of song, you know, like the ones that Taylor writes and sings, but it`s actually a rather sad tune. Let`s listen to it together.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTIN BIEBER, SINGER (SINGING): Nothing can ever, ever replace you. Nothing can make me feel like you do. You know there`s no one I can relate to and know we won`t find a love that`s so true there`s nothing like us there`s nothing like you and me together through the storm.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are you with me? Are you feeling his pain? Does it make you feel bad for the guy at all, a little bit?
REID: Oh, Justin. You know what? I`m sorry, it`s laughable because I know that he`s going to probably make another 30 songs like that by the time he`s my age. It`s just one first love, I get it.
You know, it`s cute. It`s a different side of him. It`s better than singing and pulling his pants down lately on Twitter and Instagram, so I`m all for it.
HAMMER: OK.
BROWN: Sing the sappy love song, Justin.
HAMMER: All right. Well, let me read to you what Justin told "Billboard" about his pack-up he says, at the end of the day, there`s nothing like us. You know, that`s just it. It is what it is, people are going to relate to that.
"I`m not in the happiest place that I`ve ever been. I`m trying to get through what I`m going through."
Now, Jeff, I`m aware that some comedians, at least, know about channeling pain through their art. So what would your advice to Justin Bieber be?
ROSS: I`d say chin up, Justin. The poor kid hasn`t been this depressed since the TSA took away his hair gel. He`s going to get over it. He`s a kid. He should date Taylor Swift. They can both write songs about breakups.
HAMMER: Yes, Holland. Can you imagine what that would lead to?
REID: Millions and millions of dollars is what it would lead to. It would lead to a frenzy among teenagers across the globe. It would be fantastic.
ROSS: She`s breaking up --- she`s breaking up with two guys per song at this point.
HAMMER: Well, I`m going to make a prediction here, and I could be completely out of my league on this, but I think Justin`s going to be OK.
ROSS: Yes.
HAMMER: Holland, Jeff, thank you both so much. I want to make sure people check out Jeff...
ROSS: Thank you, A.J.
HAMMER: ... in "The Burn with Jeff Ross" on Comedy Central. Great having you here.
We move on now to fights, fortune and fabulosity. Bankruptcy, breakups and bitterness. All of this adds up to what we love and what we love to hate, quite frankly. about the "Real Housewives" franchise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAKES: What you don`t understand is, while you were running your mouth with him, I was running to the bank, sweetie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good.
LEAKES: And I had a Trump check, honey. Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s right, Nene. Nene is getting paid, but who went broke? Well, tonight, wait until you see this explosive SHOWBIZ Countdown. It`s the risks and rewards of "Real Housewives."
Also, Volkswagen Super Bowl super fail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t shred (ph) me, brother. Sticky bun comes soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, tonight, some are asking if VW`s ad is funny or offensive. What do you think?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FELICITY HUFFMAN, ACTRESS: What do you mean "I`ve moved on?"
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Greg told me that you broke up with him because you`re in love with someone else.
HUFFMAN: Yes, I am. You.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Aww. You remember that? Such a happy ending after Lynnette and Tom finally reunite on ABC`s "Desperate Housewives." The show ended last May, of course, after eight fantastic seasons.
Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner, "Desperate Housewives" star Felicity Huffman joining me now in New York. Felicity is in town launching Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium.
It is an honor to have you here, Felicity. Thank you so much.
HUFFMAN: I`m so happy to be here. I can`t believe that clip. I go "aww, sweet."
HAMMER: It gets you right -- right in the heart. I felt it.
HUFFMAN: It does.
HAMMER: It just reminds me of the rabid following that just loved "Desperate Housewives," the people who were so upset to see it go away. But good things must come to an end.
But it also brings to mind shows like "Sex and the City," which have made it to the big screen. Their cast went on to do two movies based on the show. So Felicity, if I told you I had Marc Cherry on the phone right now -- I`d be lying, first of all -- but if he said he wanted you to sign up to go a movie version of "Desperate Housewives," would you do it?
HUFFMAN: Sure, if he`s writing it I`d do it.
HAMMER: That`s what everybody has always said. He`s the key, really, because it was his mastermind. He would have to be involved in anything having to do with the show.
HUFFMAN: Yes, it`s his voice. You can re-create a genre, but you can`t re-create a voice.
HAMMER: The reality TV housewives that we`ve seen so many of over the years picked up so much steam after "Desperate Housewives" made its debut. Do you get the fascination with the real house wives?
HUFFMAN: You know, to be honest, I`ve never seen the "Real Housewives," ever. So -- so I`m not the person to ask.
HAMMER: Was it on your radar very much? Because I remember, as your show became more and more popular, obviously, we started seeing these "Real Housewives," were you aware this was becoming such a huge franchise?
HUFFMAN: Yes, for sure. We heard about it. I just think. I think the title "Desperate Housewives" is so intriguing and such an oxymoron that I think it was ripe for people doing other things with it.
HAMMER: We`ve loved watching not only you but, of course, you with your husband, the amazing William H. Macy. You are without question a Hollywood it couple. You`re talented; you`re funny. The whole packages. And you know I love his show "Shameless." I was gushing about it a little earlier.
HUFFMAN: Isn`t that fantastic?
HAMMER: It`s one of my favorite shows on TV. And I think people would actually be pretty fascinated to get a glimpse of your life of this it couple. Would you guys ever consider letting the cameras in doing reality TV?
HUFFMAN: Oh, my God. Are you joking? No, never.
HAMMER: What would be see that would be so horrible?
HUFFMAN: Nothing. But any time you expose something precious to the universe like that, it`s just bound to die. So I never would. Our lives are normal and incredibly boring.
HAMMER: But I also get the impression that there are boundaries for you guys. You have this very public life, and you`re public personas, but I think you enjoy your privacy, as well?
HUFFMAN: Yes, and we`re lucky enough to actually make a living in this business, and people are not interested in us in that way. So we`re not in the tabloids or anything like that.
HAMMER: I think it would be a huge hit. I think a massive success. I think it`s something to think about.
HUFFMAN: To go to sleep to it at night.
HAMMER: There you go.
HUFFMAN: It would be so boring.
HAMMER: Well, our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producers have been buzzing all day about getting fit with Felicity. I would like to play a bit now a bit of Felicity Huffman`s "What the Flicka?" $20 workout videos from your terrific blog.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
HUFFMAN: Simple push-ups. OK. So everybody knows how to do those. We`ll do 15 of those. And I`ll turn around. Grab my fantastic bands and we`ll go right into 15 more of these.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUFFMAN: I like the music.
COOPER: Look at you go there. Nice. People love your acting. They love your advice on fitness and motherhood on your excellent "WhatTheFlicka" blog. I`m thinking daytime talk show, how about that?
HUFFMAN: No, I`m very happy with WhatTheFlicka.com. It`s a Web site for moms and parents and women. And that`s all I`m taking up my time. So I wouldn`t want a talk show. But I do love WhatTheFlicka.com.
HAMMER: We can`t get enough of you, Felicity. Looks like you`re having a great time. Thank you so much for being with us.
HUFFMAN: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: And good luck with the launch of Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium.
All right. As we move on, still ahead, the risks and rewards "The Real Housewives." Well, some have become household names; some have actually lost their houses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I always live within my means.
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, ABC`S "THE VIEW": How could you live within your means if you`re now $11 million in bankruptcy? I don`t get that.
HAMMER: Tonight we are counting down the top three risks and rewards of keeping it real as a TV housewife. Plus, wait until you see a Whopper of a funeral tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A funeral director arranged for Kimes` favorite burger chain to buy 40 about Whopper Jr.`s, paid for by the family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it`s great, that we have somebody that`s that devote that it`s their last and final thing that they`re going to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: His funeral procession passed through this Burger King drive through. It`s strange but true. I`ve got the video to prove it.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, you should just now that we don`t do this a lots. This is like a really huge deal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want to invite you to have lunch with us every day for the rest of the week.
LOHAN: Oh, it`s OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Coolness. tomorrow.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: On Wednesdays we wear pink.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Such a classic. But what about "Mean Girls: The Musical"?
Well, Tina Fey, who wrote the screenplay for the brilliant 2004 cult classic, tells E! News she is working on a stage version. And that got us wondering today: "Brilliant or bananas?"
Let me bring in entertainment host Holland Reid. She`s SlohanLohanhe`s in Hollywood. So Holland, obviously such a classic movie. Would a musical version of that be brilliant or bananas?
REID: You know, I don`t know. I think it`s going to maybe be bananas, but Tina Fey is behind it, so it could be brilliant, as long as they don`t bring in, like, the new and non-approved version of Lindsay Lohan. Maybe they can bring the old Lindsay Lohan back, then maybe we`ve got something here.
But I don`t know. I haven`t quite figured out if I`m going to love this or hate it. It could go either way.
HAMMER: It could, although I think Tina being behind it says a lot. I think I have a great casting suggestion. You might remember that Tina`s good friend, Amy Poehler, had one of the classic roles as Mrs. George, a.k.a. the cool mom. In fact, let`s revisit her in this movie.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOHAN: Is there alcohol in this?
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS: Oh, God, honey, no. What kind of mother do you think I am? Why, do you want a little bit, because if you`re going to drink it, I`d rather you do it in the house.
LOHAN: No, thank you.
POEHLER: So guys, what is the 411? What has everybody been up to? What is the hot gossip? Tell me everything. What are you guys listening to? What`s the cool jams?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mom, could you go fix your hair.
POEHLER: OK. You girls keep me young. Oh, I love you so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Are we allowed to play that? Really?
Tina says -- Tina says that she would -- I don`t know, I guess we are. Tina says that she would love to have Mariah Carey play that part in the musical, because Mariah has quoted some of the lines during her onscreen battle with Nicki Minaj. I`m not going to relate Mariah to that scene at all, Holland. I think I would get into further trouble with that.
REID: Oh, yes.
HAMMER: I don`t know if Mariah Carey would do it, but to me, that is casting made in diva heaven. What do you think?
REID: It is. It is. I mean, who other than the queen diva herself to play that kind of mother? I mean, I wonder if she`s that way with her own kids, the twins. Who knows? But I definitely think she could pull it off and pull it off well. It`s close to home. She doesn`t need any method acting there. She embodies that already.
HAMMER: I just wonder: do you see Mariah actually doing a stage show, doing a stage musical of all things? Can you imagine?
REID: You know what? I think Mariah is going to surprise us. She -- she surprised me on "American Idol." So maybe she might -- I don`t know, step out of her comfort zone and do something new. It will be interesting to see.
HAMMER: It will be interesting to see. And hopefully she won`t need any extra security backstage.
REID: Of course, she will.
HAMMER: Holland, great to have you here. Thanks so much.
Moving now to fame and fortune. Bankruptcy and breakups. The women of the "Real Housewives" franchise have been there, done that, of course. But is it worth it?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAKES: What you don`t understand is, while you were running your mouth with him, I was running to the bank, sweetie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good!
LEAKES: And I cashed a Trump check, honey. Donald Trump.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tell them, Nene.
Coming up next, we`ve got an explosive SHOWBIZ Countdown, the risks and rewards of "Real Housewives."
What about this? The end of the Lingerie Football League? I can only imagine the panic and the outrage. You`re going to find out what`s happening to your favorite gridiron gals who play in their skivvies. What`s going on? I`m going to tell you.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t shred (ph) me, brother. The sticky bun comes soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Right now, SHOWBIZ trending, the brand-new Super Bowl controversy over this Volkswagen ad. Is it funny or just plain offensive? And will the $10 million commercial get pulled before game day?
Plus, I`m firing up another amazing SHOWBIZ Countdown: risks and rewards of the "Real Housewives."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I always live within my means.
BEHAR: How can you live within your means if you`re now $11 million in bankruptcy? I don`t get that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Our special countdown about the business of being a "Real Housewife": the bankruptcies, the big business successes, the divorces all by the numbers. So much made and so much lost. So, which shocking housewife money revelation will top our countdown?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back, thanks for watching SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer with tonight`s SHOWBIZ Countdown, the "Risks and Rewards of the Real Housewives". It is time to get the ball rolling with a very revealing new look inside the businesses of the real housewives.
Now, so far 67 women have been cast in Bravo`s many "Real Housewives" shows. For some we know it can be the golden ticket to fame and fortune, right? But as we`ve just learned, there are incredible risks, divorces, bankruptcies.
Youyoung Lee, who is an editor for the "Huffington Post", just posted incredible new revelations, and she`s with us tonight here in New York.
So, Youyoung, I want to get right to this, because you uncovered three huge revelations, we`re going to count them down tonight. Firing up at number three, the risks of bankruptcy, it`s pretty amazing to me. Already 12 housewives who have been cast on the show have now faced financial crisis, ultimately filing for bankruptcy.
So Youyouang, is that because they became a `Real Housewives" star or is there really something bigger that was going on?
YOUYOUNG LEE, EDITOR, HUFFINGTON POST: Right. I mean it`s difficult to tell, it`s sort of like a chicken and the egg type question. Would they have already filed for bankruptcy, had the spotlight not been on them? Or, you know, did the added celebrity sort of make them spend more money than they typically would? I`m guessing it`s more toward the latter, but what`s revealing is more the actual data that we have.
HAMMER: Well, I want to bring in Nicole Lapin, she`s the founder of Recessionista.com. Nicole, I`m curious to get your insight on this. You`re with me here in New York. And we`re talking 18 percent of housewives filing for bankruptcy. That is a large percentage, how do you explain it?
NICOLE LAPIN, RECESSIONISTA.COM: And, you know, you don`t have to be an economist to look at their income. Because they`re going to have a pretty steady income if any at all. And then you`re going to have a big spike when the show happens. So, it`s kind of like the finances of a sports player. After that big spike, inevitably, it`s going to go down. So, if you`re not smart about it during that spike, which is what we`re seeing a lot of from these women, you`re really going to tumble down.
HAMMER: And then, of course, there`s a lot of spending, I imagine, going on to keep up appearances, Youyoung, wouldn`t you say?
LEE: Right. I mean, you know, Teresa Giudice is kind of a great example from the -- "Real Housewives of New Jersey." She reportedly makes $600,000 per season. But she just recently, two years ago, filed for -- I guess back in -- a couple of years ago, filed for an $11 million bankruptcy.
HAMMER: Wow.
LEE: So ...
HAMMER: Fortunately, it`s not all bad for all of them. It`s only 18 percent filing for bankruptcy.
We do have a lot of women cashing in from the show, and this takes us to number two in our SHOWBIZ Countdown of the "Risks and Rewards". The numbers are just mind blowing here. Twenty-eight housewives have launched their own businesses after appearing on these shows.
So, Youyoung, back to you on this. What`s going on here? Are these the smartest business women ever or are they just the luckiest or is it sort of a combination?
LEE: Right. I think it initially all sort of initially changed with Bethenny Frankel; she`d already had her line of low calorie drinks, "Skinny Girl", and she went on the show and she really, really campaigned and got a lot of air time and a lot of press time, and sold it very successfully.
So, now actually what Bravo does, is they actually take a small percentage of any product that is launched during the filming of the show. So, you know, with all this extra promotion and all this air time, a lot of housewives sitting at home, and the rest of America becoming familiar with these brands, it`s only natural that these housewives would have their own businesses.
HAMMER: Yeah, it`s always surprising to me when somebody doesn`t take the kind of publicity that`s generated from a show like this and cash it or at least attempt to.
That takes us to number one on the SHOWBIZ Countdown of the top three "Risks and Rewards of Being a Real Housewife": it`s divorce, with a stunning 17 cast mates ending their marriages.
Now, Nicole, we talk a lot about the reality show curse. What do you think is going on, particular to the housewives here? Is it because they have traded privacy for publicity, essentially?
LAPIN: Well, it`s said, it`s not only privacy and publicity, but it`s fame and money over family. And that`s what we`ve been seeing a lot of famous for being famous. You and I have talked about this before and there are huge risks in that. And there`s also the issue of art imitating life. And I think we can agree, that this necessarily -- doesn`t necessarily qualify as art per se, we can just call it "the show", the show imitating life, when it becomes to life imitating the show, you`re right.
HAMMER: Yeah.
LAPIN: They get caught up with those appearances and then they can`t sustain it.
HAMMER: And you just can`t deny that risk of letting the cameras in and what that can do. Youyoung Lee, Nicole Lapin, thank you both so much.
LEE: Thank you.
LAPIN: Thank you.
HAMMER: So, who better to get a perspective on all this than a real housewife herself? With me tonight, Countess LuAnn de Lesseps knows firsthand what it`s like to live in that bright spotlight. The countess is a cast member on Bravo TV`s "Real Housewives of New York."
Always great to see you, LuAnn.
COUNTESS LUANN DE LESSEPS, "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK": Thank you, A.J. It`s great to be here, as usual.
HAMMER: So, I`m really curious to get your reaction to what we just heard. Does any of it surprise you, is there a divorce and bankruptcy risk directly tied to being a member of "The Real Housewives?"
DE LESSEPS: Well, you know, I -- you know, it seems so. But, you know, I think it`s difficult to have a relationship, period. To be single, to be married, and especially to do it on reality television. Look, 50 percent of people are divorcing, which is really sad. The housewives are at about 25 percent. So I would say that we`re batting pretty good with the statistics that we`re given.
So, we`re not doing too bad for the housewives, I would say, because, you know, it is -- it is difficult . And I -- and when it comes to bankruptcy, I think, you know, if you make bad decisions, you make bad choices, those are your choices, and I don`t think it`s something that you can blame on "The Housewives" franchise. I think their personal choices and whether it`s a choice or a circumstance, you know, this is what the problem is. I don`t think -- I think if you`re spending over your means ...
HAMMER: Right.
DE LESSEPS: It`s never a good idea.
HAMMER: Yeah. And we know that that definitely goes on. But you make a good point. You have, on the one hand, it is a blessing for so many people who appear in this franchise. And it`s a curse for others.
DE LESSEPS: Yeah, it`s been great for me in so many ways. I, you know, I divorced during the course of the show. I never talked about my divorce on the show, because I wasn`t comfortable with that.
HAMMER: Right.
DE LESSEPS: It was in the press, but it was never something that I wanted to share on the show, because I wanted to protect my children. I`ve written a book on the show about manners and etiquette and now I`m going to be on QBC on doing a tableware collection. So, it`s been a wonderful experience for me. It has its ups and downs, that is for sure. But you have to really know how to handle it.
HAMMER: And I`ve always felt that people should follow your lead as far as protecting the children in particular.
But speaking of successes, "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star NeNe Leakes is, obviously, a huge measure of success that can be head from the show. And she hinted at her business success from the show. You want to watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEAKES: You don`t understand it ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
LEAKES: While you were running your mouth with him, I was running to the bank, sweetie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good, honey.
LEAKES: And depositing a Trump check.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: A Trump check. OK, so Leakes, again, a great example of how to make "The Housewives" work for you, with her stint on "Celebrity Apprentice." Now, she`s on primetime sitcom. Do the housewives as far as you have seen, a lot of them go into this hoping it will change their lives only to be blindsided sometime by what actually happens?
DE LESSEPS: Absolutely. I think that it can be a very good experience. On depending on what shape you`re really in, I think. It`s all up to you, and how smart you are about it, and where you want to take it. And I think if you know, if you get organized and you`re really passionate about something. And you can absolutely make the show a great success for yourself.
There`s so many great examples, you know, Bethenny and NeNe, and a lot of the housewives. The Beverly Hills Housewives are doing great things. You know, there are great things to be done on the show. And it doesn`t have to be a negative experience. And again, it`s about going into the show with kind of a plan, and kind of, you know, goals. And trying to get to those goals and hope for the best, because, you know, life brings on challenges.
HAMMER: Yeah.
DE LESSEPS: It always does. And that`s a part of life, and that`s why people watch the housewives, because we`re real people. We have -- you know, we have problems. You know, we have problems in business, we have problems with our family. And that`s one of the reasons why people enjoy the show. Because, you know, it is a real part of our lives and, you know, the good days and the bad days.
HAMMER: So, if I were to take you back to day one, pretty much a yes or no here. Would you do it again if you were asked to do it again?
DE LESSEPS: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Yeah.
DE LESSEPS: Absolutely.
HAMMER: It turned out to be a good thing for you?
DE LESSEPS:: Yeah.
HAMMER: And I think -- I think you`ve always had a really healthy attitude about it, it`s always great to see you, Countess.
DE LESSEPS: You know, thank you so much, A.J., and again, you know, it`s been a great experience. And it`s all about having a healthy attitude.
HAMMER: All right. Countess LuAnn de Lesseps, thank you again.
DE LESSEPS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Well, we move now from reality TV wives who may be going too far to the Super Bowl ad that could be going way too far. Tonight I bring you the brand new uproar over VW`s $10 million Super Bowl ad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t fret me brother, sticky bun comes soon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The island vibe of this spot, is it just downright offensive?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ trending tonight. Big buzz about this too, the Lingerie Football League. The controversial all women`s league getting a makeover. This is probably not what you think. I will show you why lonely guys everywhere may soon be up in arms.
This is SBT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In conclusion, things are pretty dismal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what this room needs? A smile. Who wants to come with I?
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Some people are far from happy over Volkswagen`s new Super Bowl ad, comparing it to blackface, only with voices. Welcome back. The controversy over the new Volkswagen Super Bowl ad is just one of the stories trending today. The "get in, get happy" campaign`s catching a lot of heat with the suggestion that it`s demeaning to Jamaicans. Take a look for yourself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hate Mondays.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE; Yeah, they`re the worst.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No worries, man, everything will be all right.
Yeah, man.
Don`t fret, me brother, sticky bun come soon.
Yeah, wicked coffee, Mr. Jim.
Julia, turn the frown the other way around.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Dave, you`re from Minnesota, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. The land of 10,000 lakes. The Gopher State.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So in conclusion, things are pretty dismal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what this room needs? A smile. Who wants to come with I?
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You guys are three minutes late.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t be no cloud on a sunny day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah. Chill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Respect boss man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s the power of German engineering.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, what do you think? With me right now from Hollywood, I`m so pleased to have Jeff Ross on board. He`s a comedian and the star of the Comedy Central series "The Burn With Jeff Ross." Jeff, congrats on your second season, by the way.
ROSS: Thank you, A.J.
HAMMER: So, can you understand why there are some people who find this commercial super offensive?
ROSS: The offensive part is that the Asian guy is not allowed to drive.
HAMMER: OK. I get --
ROSS: This is racist in so many ways.
HAMMER: OK. I see your perspective on that. You know, I have to tell you when I saw the commercial the first time myself, I actually got it, and I was amused by it, primarily because I know a lot of people of many races who go to the islands and actually come back talking like that. Not that it`s right or wrong, but people actually do do this. But at the same time, I was thinking, you know, I can see where people might be upset by this.
ROSS: It`s very peculiar. I mean, obviously the Jamaican accent is unusual. But you know, if they wanted them to stop talking like that in the ad, they should just have the cops pull them over, they`ll start talking white again immediately.
HAMMER: Is that what would happen? OK. Let me bring in Nicole Lapin. She`s a journalist. She`s the founder of Recessionista.com. So, Nicole, people are not holding back here, calling this commercial plain out racist. Do you see it that way?
LAPIN: Talk to the money lady about this. What`s not controversial is Volkswagen is laughing all the way to the bank. This is huge business, of course, and they love the fact that we are talking about this. It`s just adding to their free marketing. It`s estimated these companies reap huge marketing rewards from just this conversation right now. They love that we`re talking about it.
HAMMER: $10 million is what they spent on this thing. And they are still planning to run it on Sunday at the Super Bowl.
But Volkswagen`s ad is not the only Super Bowl controversy that is trending today. Oh, no, the Lingerie Football League has announced that it`s rebranding its league of lingerie clad ladies. The team will now be called the Women of the Gridiron, and they`ll be playing in the Legends Football League.
And the reason for this is they are hoping the name change is going to de- emphasize the sexy part of the sport and put the emphasis back on the ladies` athletics. But they`re still going to be playing in uniforms that apparently look like underwear, Jeff. Do you think this new name change is going to change people`s opinions about the league?
ROSS: I hate to admit this, but I watch this Lingerie Bowl with the sound off. So the name of the team doesn`t matter. These are beautiful women running around, and sweating and hitting each other.
HAMMER: They can call it whatever the heck they want. Nicole, from a woman`s perspective, what do you think?
LAPIN: I think if you want to clean it up, clean it up. What`s changed here? They`re still wearing basically a bikini. If you want these women to be taken seriously -- it looks exactly the same to me. If they want it to be a sport, put them in real outfits, put them in real uniforms.
HAMMER: Jeff Ross, they`re in real uniforms, you still watching?
ROSS: Probably not. You know what I mean? At least the WNBA is a real team and they`re really playing. That`s sexy to me. Tennis, female tennis, that`s sexy. This is a joke.
HAMMER: Jeff will go and watch the Puppy Bowl if they are still doing that.
ROSS: Exactly, that turns me on.
HAMMER: Well, I don`t need to know about that. But speaking of sexy, "Modern Family" star Sofia Vergara trending today, but for all the wrong reasons. This has to do with her character on the show, Gloria, whose family came to visit in last week`s episode. Let`s watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is this room?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The closet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So all the people of the town, they leave their nice clothes with you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, these are all my clothes. But I do miss the simple things at home. Tell me, how are things in the village?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had a flood.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But it wasn`t a bad one, right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had a boat.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That`s great.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had a boat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, Jeff, some are saying that Gloria`s family, feeding Latina stereotypes. I`m almost afraid to ask you, but do you get the outrage?
ROSS: I do see the outrage in this one. Especially the fact that a Colombian woman would never lose the baby weight that quickly. Is that a racist statement? I think they`re attacking her in a million ways.
HAMMER: Nicole?
ROSS: It`s anti-feminist.
LAPIN: I don`t know if I`m going to save you from this one, A.J. It`s a comedy, right? It`s not a real-life drama. It`s not supposed to be an accurate portrayal. This is not a documentary on race relations on CNN. It is what it is.
HAMMER: All right, Jeff, Nicole, we`re going to leave it there.
And coming up next, giving whopper to go a whole new meaning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A funeral director arranged for Kime`s favorite Burger King to prepare about 40 Whopper Juniors, paid for by the family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that`s great that we have somebody that`s actually that devoted, that that`s their last and final thing that they`re going to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The stunning funeral procession that went straight through a Burger King drive-through. Why one family actually buried their beloved World War II vet dad with a whopper. It`s SHOWBIZ strange but true.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Tonight, cheers and whoppers? Well, you`ve heard of a 21-gun salute at a funeral, right? But how about a one Whopper salute? Well, that is just what happened at the funeral of a World War II vet. The guy loved Burger King whoppers so much, that his family actually brought his funeral procession, yes, his funeral procession, through a Burger King drive- through, hearse and all. It`s strange but true.
And CNN`s Jeanne Moos has the story of this real-life whopper of a sendoff.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS: It wasn`t exactly a whopper of a funeral. It was a Whopper Junior. This is the story of a World War II vet laid to rest, but not before the hearse and the entire funeral procession went through a Burger King drive- through on the way to the cemetery.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was a joke and then it became a reality.
MOOS: The deceased, David Kime of West York, Pennsylvania, loved fast food, especially Whopper Juniors. One of Kime`s daughter told the "York Daily Record" that her dad`s version of eating healthy was the lettuce on the Whopper Junior. After he died of a heart attack at the age of 88, the funeral director asked the family if there was any way they`d like to personalize the service.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we kind of said, oh, well, what we ought to do is go through, have one final burger.
MOOS: Funeral director arranged for Kime`s favorite Burger King to prepare about 40 Whopper Junior paid for by the family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it`s great we have somebody that that`s devoted, that that`s their last and final thing that they`re going to do.
MOOS: One by one, the cars in the funeral procession came through. However many people were in the car, that`s how many burgers they got.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now that`s different. One way to get lunch, isn`t it?
MOOS: Everyone in the hearse got a Whopper Junior, including the deceased.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He would be thrilled. There`s no doubt.
MOOS: After all, just 15 minutes before he died, he was on the phone from the hospital joking with his daughter Linda, asking her to bring him a burger, and she did. Brought it to him here at Prospect Hills Cemetery. The family had always tried to get him to eat healthier. No more nagging. Linda laid the bag on the casket to be buried with him.
(on camera): What was that like?
She cried.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I remember thinking, dad, this is the first time I can do this and say, OK, you can finally have your burger.
MOOS: A burger to go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, and I guess that gives a whole new meaning to having it your way.
Well, from a whopper of a funeral to a whopper of a mash-up. This is tonight`s moment of SHOWBIZ Awesomeness. A lot of people think Lance Armstrong seemed like a real creep in his doping confession to Oprah Winfrey, and now Lance seems to be admitting it himself, sort of.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANCE ARMSTRONG: I -- I`m a --
OPRAH WINFREY: Creep?
ARMSTRONG: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT revealing the viral mashup of Lance Armstrong`s doping confession.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It is time for SHOWBIZ Awesomeness. This is where we name the most awesome moment of the day. And tonight, Lance Armstrong gets mashed up. At least his famous doping confession to Oprah Winfrey does. So many people thought that the cyclist came across as a total creep when he fessed up to Oprah. And now it looks like Lance Armstrong is getting his comeuppance, in a viral video set to Radiohead`s anthem, "Creep."
So here now, your SHOWBIZ moment of awesomeness, as Lance Armstrong channels his inner creep.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARMSTRONG: I wish I was -- special. But I -- I`m a --
WINFREY: Creep.
ARMSTRONG: Yes.
I`m a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) weirdo.
WINFREY: What the hell are you doing here?
ARMSTRONG: I -- I don`t belong here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I have got to say, that is pretty satisfying to watch. Something tells me that may be the most honest confession we`ll ever get from Lance Armstrong.
Well, coming up next on "DR. DREW ON CALL", will Jodi Arias take the stand? Her lawyers are working overtime as the defense begins for the alleged killer, but what do they need to say to sway her jury? "DR. DREW" starts right now.
END
