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Showbiz Tonight
Manti Te`o Hoax Mysteries Revealed; Snooki Gives Birth on TV; Top 3 Super Sunday Shockers; The End of `30 Rock`
Aired January 31, 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)
BEYONCE, SINGER (singing): And the rockets` red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Tonight on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Super Sunday Shockers." Beyonce shuts it down, singing the national anthem a capella at the Super Bowl news conference. But that wasn`t her only shocker today. Will her show-stopper top the SHOWBIZ Countdown?
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer, and our SHOWBIZ Countdown of the big three super Sunday surprises is coming up.
But we begin with our first big countdown of the night, the Manti Te`o hoax mysteries revealed.
Like millions of other people, I was watching this afternoon as Dr. Phil got the guy who convinced Notre Dame football star Manti Te`o to believe he was actually a woman in love with him and dying of leukemia, to finally tell all.
And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you Timothy Burke who first exposed the hoax to the world on Deadspin.com. Timothy with us tonight from Tampa, Florida.
And Timothy, I can tell you Dr. Phil really had Ronaiah Tuiasosopo squirming in his seat as he pressed him to reveal the mysteries behind this online dating hoax.
I want to kick off our SHOWBIZ Countdown with the No. 3 mystery revealed today. Ronaiah says he continued that sham relationship with Manti while posing as a woman because he was in love with Manti. Watch this with me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PHIL MCGRAW, TALK SHOW HOST: Were you in love with him?
RONAIAH TUIASOSOPO, CONFESSED HOAXER: I mean, yes. It is twisted and confusing as it may be, yes. I mean, I cared for this person. I did all that I could to help this person become a better person even though I wasn`t getting nothing out of it. Of course it`s very shameful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, very shameful. Tim, when you guys broke the story over at Deadspin, that was one big question that you had asked, and everybody was wondering as well, why did Ronaiah do it? So now that he pretty much says straight up he was in love with Manti, has that mystery been solved for you?
BURKE: Well, I think it`s important to remember, A.J., that this is a compulsive liar who pretended to be another person for several years.
That he would suddenly open up and become honest with Dr. Phil, especially given that he admitted on the show he even lied to Dr. Phil about being a fan of his show. He later said that he had never actually seen it. I am not sure how much we can trust out of Ronaiah Tuiasosopo`s mouth.
HAMMER: Yes. I completely agree. I think everybody is feeling pretty much the same way.
I want to check in with Hollywood tonight. Sports reporter Jackie Pepper from PepperonSports.com is here. And Jackie broke the news that some of Manti Te`o`s Notre Dame teammates had doubted the story about the girlfriend for a while. We spoke about that, Jackie, but now that we`ve heard from Ronaiah, do you think that Manti`s name, at least, is totally clear?
JACKIE PEPPER, PEPPERONSPORTS.COM: Oh, no, his name will never be cleared of this absolute debacle.
This story is so ridiculous, it won`t die, even with Ronaiah Tuiasosopo speaking out. And I think something that the players had told me, which is what I take away from all of this, they knew something was wrong primarily because they knew the way Manti was discussing this woman as the love of his life that that in itself was a sham, based on the fact that he was with other women while at school.
And that is something that Ronaiah Tuiasosopo admitted to Dr. Phil, was that he knew Manti was seeing other people. So Te`o`s credibility is going to be slightly shot forever, just based on this whole situation.
HAMMER: And a lot of people have wondered if anybody else was involved with Ronaiah in putting this whole things together.
And that brings us to the No. 2 hoax mystery revealed. In the Dr. Phil interview, the hoaxer says that he acted alone. But people are still wondering about this.
Now, the story of Manti Te`o`s dead girlfriend got him plenty of press during the college football season, and it may have helped him win some sympathy votes, leading some to suspect that Manti himself was in on the whole thing.
But we heard Ronaiah swearing to Dr. Phil today that Manti Te`o had nothing to do with it. Let`s watch what we saw this afternoon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCGRAW: Did he know anything about this before you called him and told him? Is there ever a time where you felt like the two of you knew what was going on instead of just you?
TUIASOSOPO: No. Manti had -- he had no idea. You know, truthfully, honestly, he had no involvement. He did not know anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Now, Tim, I know we`re still working against the backdrop that you feel how can we believe anything Ronaiah is saying? But you`ve always been skeptical of the claims that Manti was 100 percent innocent of any involvement with this hoax. In fact, you once said -- and I love how you put it -- that you were agnostic about it.
So, now that we`ve heard from Ronaiah and he has said that Manti is innocent, do you remain agnostic?
BURKE: Well, I`m still sort of looking into Ronaiah`s claim that he acted alone. And -- because we`ve heard from multiple sources intimately familiar with the hoax who told us that he had at least one and sometimes two confederates in executing this. So you know, that alone really casts some doubt on any sort of -- anything that Ronaiah has to say about what Manti Te`o knew.
Although the more that Manti Te`o talks, the more believable it gets that he might have actually somehow been suckered by this for so long.
HAMMER: Yes, I mean, Jackie, does that do anything for you? I know you don`t feel that Manti is 100 percent innocent, necessarily. But does this help his case at all in your mind?
PEPPER: I think it does. As Tim said, it is hard to believe what Ronaiah is saying, but at the same time it`s better than not hearing anything at all. So his words are kind of infiltrating our mind.
And Te`o came off as pretty much believable in the Katie Couric interview. But there are just so many inconsistencies and questions. And once you lie once, twice, three times; once you embellish to the degree that Te`o did, it`s hard to take what he says for face value, at least 100 percent of it.
So I think there`s more to learn, and Tim is right on in saying that there`s more in terms of other people acting with Tuiasosopo on this, most likely.
HAMMER: Yes, it`s so interesting. I think people still want answers. They were so hoping to dig something out of this today. But again, we keep mentioning, and you can`t help but acknowledge it`s against this backdrop that this guy is obviously a serious liar, has obviously, some work to do on himself. And who knows if we`ll ever know the full truth until other people speak out.
But there`s another claim that Ronaiah made in the Dr. Phil interview that is raising a lot of eyebrows, and this takes us to the No. 1 hoax mystery revealed in our SHOWBIZ Countdown. Was it really Ronaiah`s voice in those mysterious voicemails?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m just calling to say good night. I love you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Now, we`re hearing the supposed girlfriend, the fictional girlfriend right there. But it`s hard to imagine, now that we`ve heard Ronaiah, it`s the same person.
When Manti Te`o appeared last week on Katie Couric, he brought along voicemails that he says his fake girlfriend left for him.
Well, Ronaiah did claim today on "Dr. Phil," yes, it was him. He was the one posing as the girlfriend, and it was his voice.
But Dr. Phil confronted Ronaiah on his show today. He said that he had professionals actually compare the voice that was on those voicemails to Ronaiah`s voice, and you`ve to watch what Dr. Phil said about their conclusion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCGRAW: They said the chance that you are the person on that voicemail is like 1 in 10 million.
TUIASOSOPO: Yes.
MCGRAW: That it is not you, not even possible. You`re telling me that you`re telling the truth?
TUIASOSOPO: Yes.
MCGRAW: And I`m telling you that the best scientific analysis in the world is saying it is not. So I say just do the voice.
TUIASOSOPO: For me to just do it, like, you know, in front of -- I`ve never done it in front of people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Dr. Phil right there, he said his experts said 1 in 10 million chance that it`s the same voice. And you know Dr. Phil can get probably the best voice experts on the planet.
And there you heard Ronaiah sticking to his story, despite this evidence that Dr. Phil was presenting to him, Tim. Do you think that Manti [SIC] is obviously lying again? Or do you think that Dr. Phil somehow got it wrong?
BURKE: Well, I have to say I have a newfound respect for Dr. Phil given how aggressively he went after Ronaiah Tuiasosopo today about this. And he really was, you know, a bulldog about it.
And of course, they gave us the big cliff-hanger at the end of the program and said, you know, you`ll be able to see Ronaiah try to do Lennay Kekua`s voice tomorrow. So we can`t really say.
But the way that Ronaiah was so -- you know, the way he tried to avoid doing the voice for so long, in the interviews, it just really casts a lot of doubt on that. And I think Dr. Phil is probably onto something here.
HAMMER: Well, here it`s going to be very interesting to see what happens on Dr. Phil`s show tomorrow, because Dr. Phil didn`t have to air that part of the interview today. And if it turns out that Ronaiah does the voice and it is him, thus proving Dr. Phil wrong, I would have imagined Dr. Phil wouldn`t want to show that he was wrong, you know what I am saying? I mean, Jackie, do you think that Dr. Phil is on the right side here?
PEPPER: Well, he sure is smart by making us want more tomorrow with this whole voice thing, because in recent days that is by far the biggest question that everyone is asking right now is who is the voice?
HAMMER: Yes.
PEPPER: First of all, "Saturday Night Live" must do a skit about this. I mean, this is just so perfect with Dr. Phil going at him like it`s "CSI." This is just awesome.
HAMMER: Well, we`re going to have -- we`re going to have to wait and see.
PEPPER: That`s the only thing I want to see.
HAMMER: I do have to leave it there, and we will find out together. Jackie, Tim, thank you both so much.
All right. I`ve got to get to a super-sized countdown which is coming your way, our SHOWBIZ Countdown of "Super Sunday Shockers," and tonight, Beyonce has one thing to say to her inauguration critics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE (singing): And the rockets` red glare, the bombs bursting in air.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Enough said, right? Beyonce shocking the world with a live rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner." She also reveals how she`s handling the Super Bowl performance pressure.
And how does Beyonce stack up against football great Dan Marino`s love child shocker? Well, Marino just admitted to an affair and a secret child, and it was on the same day of his 28th wedding anniversary.
But which star will top the SHOWBIZ Countdown?
Plus, Snooki gives birth on TV.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a boy.
NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI, REALITY TV STAR: I`m just happy, because I`ve always wanted a kid, and he is here.
(END VIDEO CIP)
HAMMER: Yes, Snooki`s meatball miracle.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give me a little push, a little push. Finish it off. Here we go. A little more. A little more. Yay. A boy. There you go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh my. That is reality show star Snooki, giving her fans, as you see, a no-holds-barred look at the birth of her baby, Lorenzo, with her fiance, Johnny, right by her side. And clearly, Snooki and Johnny had no problems inviting the MTV cameras into the delivery room for the birth of their baby, but was it too much? I mean, even for Snooki?
With me in New York is Jenny Hutt. Jenny is the host of "Just Jenny" on Sirius XM. And Jenny, really, I`m not surprised. I`m sure you`re not surprised that Snooki chose to show pretty much every detail of her son, Lorenzo`s birth but, really, was it too much perhaps even for Snooks?
JENNY HUTT, SIRIUS XM HOST: Not for me. But I`m a mom and a sappy one at that, so births are beautiful to me. And I used to watch that "Baby Story" show that was on TLC, and I watched ton of births, so I think it`s beautiful. I think it`s one of the finer moments for Snooki. Because we know there are some not-so-fine moments for Snooki.
HAMMER: Did you get a little weepy when you saw it?
HUTT: It`s a little emotional.
HAMMER: OK. Because I was actually a little surprised at how emotional Snooki got in front of the cameras...
HUTT: Yes.
HAMMER: ... about being a mom. Let`s watch that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLIZZI: I`m just happy. Because I`ve always wanted a kid, and he`s here. And he`s with Johnny, and he`s healthy and beautiful. And I love him. He`s perfect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. You know, as easy as it is to goof on Snooki, I`m right there just kind of feeling for her...
HUTT: Of course.
HAMMER: ... and feeling good for her. A lot of people are really loving this new, very maternal Snooki.
But do you think it may be time for her to say goodbye to reality TV? Maybe take it off camera?
HUTT: Well, I think that she`s quite comfortable in front of the camera, and if this evolution continues as it`s going, and she`s becoming this maternal, loving, doting figure who`s not out clubbing and doing what she had been doing, then I think it`s OK if the cameras are there in the appropriate moments.
Obviously, I worry about privacy issues with little kids and with babies, but hopefully, she`ll do the right thing.
HAMMER: Well, Snooki has always said yes to reality TV cameras.
But here`s a big surprise. Kim Kardashian says that she and her boyfriend, Kanye West, are not going to be putting their baby on reality TV. I still find that shocking.
But Kim is still showing off her baby bump. In fact, we put up the tweeted photo. She looks good. But that`s not the only news today about Kim giving birth.
Now, Kanye catching heat over this new report he won`t be in the delivery room when Kim gives birth to their baby, because apparently, he faints at the sight of blood, Jenny. Do you think that Kanye needs to get it together...
HUTT: I do.
HAMMER: ... and make sure he`s in the delivery room? I mean, come on.
HUTT: Yes, I do. Listen, I don`t hate him because he`s come -- he`s said this, but I don`t like it. My husband was in both of my deliveries. I had two C-sections. And thank goodness he was there, because I was terrified, and frankly, I think that the baby daddy should be in the room.
HAMMER: Yes, it would seem so.
HUTT: Take care of the mom and be there and make sure everything is OK with that baby and with the mom.
HAMMER: Maybe he`ll have a change of heart.
HUTT: Yes.
HAMMER: Jenny, great to see you. Thanks.
HUTT: Thank you.
HAMMER: All right. Now for some very fancy pre-Super Bowl footwork by the San Francisco 49ers. And I`m not talking about pass plays here; they`re dancing.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)
HAMMER: Oh, yes. It is the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Super Sunday Shockers." Will their off-the-field talents nab the top spot tonight.
Also, tonight, we say goodbye to "30 Rock" after seven incredible seasons. Can we count on "30 Rock," the movie? Well, I`m taking you behind the scenes in the final episode with one of the show`s stars. There he is, Kevin Brown, a.k.a. Dot Com, coming up.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARLOS DIAZ, HLN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: The cards never lie.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is telling me good fortune on the side of the Ravens.
DIAZ: Really?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But, it shows me there could also be a win on the side of the 49ers.
Let`s see what the final card tells us. And it is the chariot. This talks about someone who has an iron will to succeed, OK, someone who has a heart that is fearless, OK, who marches through battle and who is victorious. This card represents Ray Lewis, so I know that the Ravens are going to prevail.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, there you go. That`s HLN Carlos Diaz with a legendary tarot card reader in the French Quarter in New Orleans, and you heard it: she says it`s in the cards for the Ravens, who will apparently take it all on Super Bowl Sunday.
OK. So they might be winners on the field, but how will the Baltimore Ravens do when it comes to trivia about each other? Well, our man Carlos Diaz played game show host for them, kind of like "The Newlywed Game: but with really big guys. Let`s watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DIAZ: Who has participated in multiple polar bear plunges?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea. You caught me off guard with that one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I had to take my best guess, Matt Birk. He`s up there in Minnesota. But I know I`m wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bryant McKinnie.
DIAZ: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Flacco. Joe Flacco.
DIAZ: There you go. Yes, exactly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s weird.
DIAZ: Whose brother is a UOC champion?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Art Jones.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Arthur Jones.
DIAZ: Like this. Who was a member of the Barbados national team in rugby, volleyball and track and field?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would that be Haloti?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ramon Harewood (ph).
DIAZ: There we go. Who was a high school state wrestling champion in the 189-pound weight class?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s probably like a huge guy now. Bryant McKinnie.
DIAZ: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Was it Ray Lewis?
DIAZ: It was Ray Lewis. That`s why they call him the king.
Who can sing opera in Italian, Russian and Latin?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Justin Tucker.
DIAZ: Wow. Wow. There you go.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s your boy.
DIAZ: Everyone knows the answer to this. You`ve got to help me out. Just give me something.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There`s not a chance. I mean, honestly, I don`t know what half the things I`m saying are.
DIAZ: Who has produced two movies that were shown at the Cannes Film Festival?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Terrell Suggs.
DIAZ: Obviously, you guys know each other better than the 49ers do, because you guys are doing incredible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know why?
DIAZ: Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Because we got two tickets to paradise.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I`m sure Eddie Money is loving that.
And I don`t want you to think that HLN`s Carlos Diaz is biased in any way. He did the same quiz with the San Francisco 49ers. Let`s just say that we hope they do better on the field this Sunday than they did with our quiz, because it wasn`t pretty.
All right. We now have t-minus three days until the second biggest party in New Orleans in the next month. It`s the Super Bowl, and we`ve got a super-sized SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight.
Beyonce breaking her silence with an a capella version of the national anthem at the Super Bowl news conference.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE (singing): Oh, say, can you see by the dawn`s early light what so proudly we hailed
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, yes, it`s the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Super Sunday Shockers." Can anything be more jaw-dropping than Beyonce`s big in-your-face to all her haters?
And what about football great Dan Marino`s love child shocker? Well, Marina just admitted to an affair and a secret child. But which star will top the SHOWBIZ COUNTDOWN?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
Time now for "SHOWBIZ Say What." Take a look at "Modern Family`s" Sofia Vergara, looking incredible on the SAG Awards red carpet. But it looks like she`s giving someone the side eye. What do you think was on her mind? Here are some of your thoughts.
One jokester wrote, "If that guy behind me touches my butt, I`m going to turn around and slug him."
Another viewer wrote, "If that guy thinks the back looks good, wait until I turn around."
Yes, that guy getting a lot of grief from HLNTV.com fans. Keep those great thoughts coming. Send us your "SHOWBIZ Say What" thought bubble suggestions to HLN.com/SHOWBIZtonight.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, the SHOWBIZ Countdown, "Super Sunday Surprises." Beyonce breaks her silence for the first time since the inauguration at the Super Bowl news conference. And this is how she does it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE (singing): Oh, say, can you see by the dawn`s early light...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, this time you`re hearing it straight from Beyonce`s lips, but was singing the national anthem live the right move? And is Beyonce`s new national anthem shocker more surprising than NFL great Dan Marino`s love child stunner? The Super Bowl analyst with a massive scandal that is just coming to light. Which "Super Sunday Shocker" will come out on top tonight in our big countdown?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I am A.J. Hammer and we`re counting down the top three "Super Sunday Shockers", and we do our big kick off with number 3, it`s Beyonce`s bombshell. Just days before her much anticipated Super Bowl half-time show, Beyonce took the stage for the NFL media day and she shut down her critics before even saying a word. She belted out an amazing rendition of the national anthem a cappella. Let`s watch.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)
HAMMER: So what was with that controversial presidential inaugural lip- synch? Well, for the first time Beyonce took on her critics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE: Due to the weather, due to the delay, due to no proper sound check, I did not feel comfortable taking a risk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Makes sense to me. And if that wasn`t enough, she finally put the rumors to rest about Sunday`s big half-time show. Answering the question that everybody wants answered, is she going to lip-synch or not?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEYONCE: I will absolutely be singing live. I am well rehearsed.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, wait a second here. Did Beyonce just score her own touchdown? I want to bring in Jenny Hutt. Jenny is the host of the Sirius XM show "Just Jenny." Jenny is with me in New York and inevitably very distracted during the Super Bowl when anybody yells "Hut! Hut!" But Jenny -- every - - sorry. Everybody has been waiting to hear something from Beyonce.
HUTT: Yeah.
HAMMER: I think she totally satisfied and completely reassured her fans today. What do you think?
HUT: I loved everything about this press conference. First of all, she sang the national anthem flawlessly. It was incredible. And a cappella, that`s so difficult to do. And she was at perfect pitch. That`s A. B, her explanation as to why she lip-synched at the inauguration I thought was really fair and honest. Even Beyonce can be a little insecure about her performance, how it might go if she doesn`t have time to rehearse with the orchestra of that size, and frankly, it`s respectful to have guaranteed that it was a beautiful song on such a momentous day. It was a big deal, it was a beautiful day, and she was respectful and really, it was often what the protocol is anyway ...
HAMMER: Yeah.
HUT: ... for that kind of event that there is some lip-synching. So I was thrilled with her the whole press conference. Everything she said, she was smart, she was well thought out and I dig her. I am a sucker for talent.
HAMMER: Totally dig her.
HUT: Yeah.
HAMMER: And you got it right. It was smart and it was fair, and it really sort of backed of everything most of us who have been in her corner have been saying all along as to why she probably did that. But what about her big half-time show?
Well, today we got our very first look at what Beyonce has in store for the big gig on Sunday with all new video of her rehearsals that was just released and I want to show it to you right now.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)
HAMMER: Do you think this show is going to rock? I mean come on. Let me get Jackie Pepper in here Jackie is in Hollywood tonight. Jackie is the founder of Pepperonsports.com. All right, Jackie, seeing this new footage, I mean, really, any doubt in your mind that Beyonce is going to deliver in a big way come Sunday?
PEPPER: Beyonce is going to kill it. I am like tapping my foot in the studio right here. It makes me want to get up and dance and something that I think is interesting is the fact that Roger Daltrey, the lead singer of the "Who", the "Who" performed at half-time a few years ago, he said in an interview that they pre-recorded the entire half-time show and that while they`re doing it live on Super Bowl Sunday, the executive producers of the show make the calls, switching back and forth between their live recording and, well, excuse me, their live appearance and the prerecorded tape.
So he said he didn`t have a choice as to what ended up being live versus prerecorded in the actual telecast. So, Beyonce, she said that she will deliver this thing live, but I bet you they prerecorded it and she may not have much of a choice either ...
HAMMER: Yes.
PEPPER: But she is just - I mean she killed it today. Who cares? Just let it go.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Let it go. Great insight, Jackie. Thank you for that. And please, feel free to get up and dance while I move from Beyonce`s new revelations to a bombshell from an NFL sports legend that took us all by surprise.
Number two on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino`s secret love child. Let me bring in SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Nischelle Turner. She is in Hollywood. And I can`t hold back on what a stunner this was today in a show, really caught us all by surprise.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it did, A.J. Now, here is what we know right now. It was just revealed today that football legend Dan Marino, who is also a CBS sports analyst, fathered a child in 2005 in an extramarital affair with a CBS employee. Now, since that time, Marino has reportedly paid millions to support the child and also keep that little affair under wraps.
HAMMER: Yeah. Thank you very much for that, Nischelle. I am sure the story is going to have football fans buzzing all weekend long. Certainly, it will be the talk of many a bar stool area and Dan will be in the heart of the Super Bowl action on Sunday. He is going to be right there, of course, analyzing all day before the big game.
So, Jackie, somebody who has been covering the sports world so closely for so long, do you think this is going to be too much of a distraction for some fans? Because I have to believe it will be.
PEPPER: Absolutely not. In fact, this Super Bowl week has been absolutely epic in terms of controversy. You have Ray Lewis and his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs, you have a 49ers player saying he wouldn`t accept a gay teammate on his team and now today you have this from Dan Marino. And I hate to be a cynic here, but I don`t think what -- this is not a big deal, why, because Dan Marino is taking care of this kid. He is paying for it. He allegedly sees his own child, so I am not sure where the controversy is outside of his relationship with his wife and his other six children.
HAMMER: OK.
PEPPER: The guy is taking care of his kid. And that`s a lot better than some other athletes.
HAMMER: Oh, yes. Absolutely. I just know that some people, they can`t see beyond that when they`re perhaps watching him on TV. But to your point, Jackie, we did reach out to Marino for a comment and through a representative he did confirm to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that he has been personally and financially responsible for his actions. Jenny, is that enough or does he owe his fans even more? Should he talk about it publicly?
HUT: Yeah, well, I don`t really think he owes his fans anything. I was just going to say, at least in this circumstance it`s an actual affair.
HAMMER: Yeah. Right.
(CROSSTALK)
HUT: It is not a Manti -- no, it`s not a Manti Te`o ...
HAMMER: That`s right.
HUT: Not real thing.
HAMMER: Precisely. You don`t have to go on Dr. Phil necessarily to talk it out.
HUT: And look, like what Jackie just said, this has gone on forever. Professional athletes are known to have extramarital affairs. I don`t think this is such a big deal either. He has done the right thing and what does he need to say? We heard it already.
HAMMER: All right. Fair enough.
And then we should move onto number one in our SHOWBIZ COUNTDOWN on the top three "Super Sunday Shockers". You have got to see this. The San Francisco 49ers offensive linebackers busted a move with the video game just Dance 4. You`ve got to see this.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYING)
HAMMER: I am sorry. I saw that and I said, you know what, guys, you`ve got to be number one. We don`t have a choice at all. Perfect performance. Jenny Hutt, Jackie Pepper. Great having you both here. Thanks.
HUT: Thank you.
HAMMER: From "Super Sunday Shockers" to the explosive connections from the hoaxer who claimed to be in love with Manti Te`o.
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TUIASOSOPO: It takes a lot of courage to stand and say that, you know, to recover from, you know, homosexuality.
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HAMMER: Well, we`re finally hearing everything from the man at the center of the Manti Te`o girlfriend hoax. Now that he has spoken with Dr. Phil, so many shocking revelations.
Well, the guy who first blew this story wide open is right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. We`re asking Deadspin`s Timothy Burke what shocked him the most in today`s interview.
Plus, the end of a TV era.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trey, have you read any of these movie scripts yet?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, I read the one about a handsome genius who lied to two idiots about reading scripts.
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HAMMER: The final episode of "30 Rock" just wrapped. But put your dishes away, because we have got "30 Rock" co-star Kevin Brown right here with us, and I promise he will help you get through this terrible, terrible time.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
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TUIASOSOPO: It takes a lot of courage to stand and say that, you know, to recover from homosexuality and this type of thing, not just that, but coming back to your real life, as hard of a task it is, you know, I am going to do all that I can to live right.
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HAMMER: Tonight SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks news after the mastermind behind the Manti Te`o girlfriend hoax speaks out in a brand new interview with Dr. Phil today.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. The man behind the Manti Te`o girlfriend hoax revealed all on "Dr. Phil" earlier today, and now Ronaiah Tuiasosopo has spoken out, we want to bring you the man who broke the whole hoax wide open. It`s Timothy Burke, first broke the story on Deadspin.com and he is with me tonight from Tampa, Florida, with his exclusive insight into this SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview.
So, Timothy, I don`t think anybody expected to hear today Roniah admitting that the whole reason behind the hoax was because he was in love with the Notre Dame football star. Let`s watch that part of the interview and what he told Dr. Phil.
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TUIASOSOPO: It takes a lot of courage to stand and say that, you know, to recover from homosexuality and this type of thing -- not just that, but coming back to your real life, as hard of a task it is, I am going to do all that I can to live right.
MCGRAW: Well, I -- this is for another time, but I have so much to say to you about what you just said. Because a lot of it bothers me so much. Because I hope that`s a pressure that you don`t put on yourself.
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HAMMER: OK. Did you ever think, Tim, in a million years, that the motivation behind this whole thing was because Ronaiah was in love with Manti Te`o?
TIMOTHY BURKE, DEADSPIN.COM: Well, that was always one of the few possibilities. After all, what kind of incentive would anybody have to maintain this hoax for years and dedicate so much of your life to it unless there was the one thing that goes beyond rational or logical action, and that is love. So we sort of thought about that. But it really sort of surprised us was the revelation from Ronaiah, if you believe him, that it was actually Manti Te`o who originally reached out to Lennay Kekua on Facebook and friended her, and that`s how the whole thing sort of got started.
HAMMER: And then just kind of spiral out of control, obviously. And speaking of irrational behavior, this is something from the interview with Dr. Phil that really surprised me. I actually couldn`t believe that Ronaiah was angry with the reporting that went on after you guys first uncovered this hoax. I want to watch what he told Dr. Phil about that.
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TUIASOSOPO: I didn`t ask him for anything. I didn`t ask him for money. I didn`t ask him for even an autograph, nothing. I didn`t ask for anything. I never wanted anything, and that`s what really hurt, was to read all these different reports about how I had done this to not just maliciously attack him or hurt him, but to read that I was trying to do it to take money from him, and he knows for a fact that`s not true.
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HAMMER: I mean, he just seemed so disconnected from it. Are you surprised that he would even say that, considering the world of hurt that he caused Manti Te`o? I don`t know that anybody is feeling sorry for him right now.
BURKE: Oh, absolutely not. But I think in Ronaiah`s mind, this is a performance that he dedicated his life to, and it sort of stands as some sort of piece of art to him, I guess. So when the news came out and initially Manti Te`o released a statement saying that he had been the victim of a cruel hoax, later reports saying that he went to Notre Dame and his coaches and said that he was worried that he had been taken advantage of and all of those sorts of things, miscategorized or put into a different light than the way that Ronaiah saw it, exactly what he felt that he had with Manti Te`o.
HAMMER: Tim, let me ask you as somebody who had been so close to the story, having broken it, do you now, having heard him, feel any even modicum of sympathy for him?
BURKE: I felt some sympathy for him I think from the very beginning, because it is clear that he is placed in a situation, and especially with what he said about when he uses the phrase "recovering from homosexuality," he is clearly, A, struggling with his personal identity, struggling with some mental health issues, but he`s also clearly in a situation and an environment, either because of where he is or because of his family, that is not accepting of who he feels that he is. And I don`t think anybody, regardless of what they have done, should ever have to face that.
HAMMER: He has got a long road ahead of him, for sure. Thanks for your insight. Timothy Burke, I appreciate it.
And I am firing up another amazing SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview as we say goodbye to "30 Rock" tonight.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trey, have you read any of these movie scripts yet.?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, I read about a handsome genius who lied to two idiots about reading scripts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is "30 Rock" really over after seven years? The final episode aired tonight. Fans are saying good-bye, and I have a great consolation for you, "30 Rock" co-star Kevin Brown is right here tonight.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Running a movie studio is exhausting. I need a nap. Dot-com, tell us your most interesting story.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry, Trey, the next item on the agenda is your insurance physical.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great. Worst day ever.
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HAMMER: That of course, always funny Dot-com from "30 Rock." Well, the final episode of the hit show just aired on the East Coast, and yes, a television classic has come to an end. But we have the best consolation prize ever. The show`s finale party is barely over in New York City, and we have got Kevin Brown right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Of course, Kevin played Dot-com on "30 Rock," and you have got to wonder how the entire cast is feeling right now, after seven incredible years together and 14 amazing Emmy wins. It certainly was an epic ride, and it was an epic night on TV tonight as the last episode aired.
So we`re taking you inside right now with this headline-making newsmaker with Kevin, with me in New York. I have to imagine feeling some mixed emotions tonight. Kevin.
KEVIN BROWN, "30 ROCK": A.J., how are you, A.J.?
HAMMER: I`m good. How are you, my friend? It is a big deal the show has come to an end.
BROWN: This is a big deal. This is very exciting. But I am going to tell you, I am more excited to be here, because this is the first time you had me here and I wasn`t talking about Honey Boo-Boo, that`s a big deal.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about you, Kevin, and the "30 Rock" finale that just aired a few hours ago here on the East Coast.
BROWN: Yes.
HAMMER: Thankfully wasn`t a tear-jerker like so many episodes of classic shows can be. Let`s watch a bit of it together, shall we?
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ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: Stay at home, Lemon, to what do I owe the pleasure? Did you already run out of things to do today?
TINA FEY, ACTRESS: What? No. You are.
BALDWIN: It is understandable for the past seven years you have put out dozens of fires every day, not including the real ones Tracy would set.
FEY: To keep away Frankensteins, which as far as we know, worked.
BALDWIN: My point is, you need the outlet. Without work --
FEY: I have plenty of new outlets. I ran this morning for 30 minutes.
BALDWIN: Does that include dry heaving?
FEY: And wet and chore. OK, I thought I`d have a job right now, but I don`t need to work.
BALDWIN: What about money? You know "TGS" is only syndicated in Greece.
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HAMMER: Funny right up until the end, which is what we expected. So, Kevin, what would Honey Boo Boo say -- no, no, I`m just kidding. What about behind the scenes at the show? Thankfully it wasn`t a sad goodbye on the air, but what were those final days like with Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin and the entire cast?
BROWN: I`m going to tell you, it was rough. It was definitely rough. We spent seven years together. We got together in 2006 to put this little baby, launch it out to America. And to the world. And it was tough. Those last few hours, getting to do our last scenes, every time you turned around and you saw a face that you knew you weren`t going to see every day, the tears were welling up all over the place.
HAMMER: Not a big surprise. It`s such an intense atmosphere, it`s a cult- like family, and there are going to be bonds that nobody will ever understand unless they were right there. Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there on the red carpet at the "30 Rock" wrap party. Of course, we spoke with you, we also caught up with Alec, and I want to play for you what he told us about how he is handling the end of "30 Rock," with a little help from former Beatle Paul McCartney.
BROWN: OK.
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BALDWIN: I saw McCartney recently, and I said even the Beatles got sick of being the Beatles, right? No matter how great the gig is, everybody wants to do something to kind of reinvent themselves, so I mean, we`re looking forward to seeing what they`re all going to do.
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HAMMER: OK. That`s fair. On to new things. I think a lot of people, though, would certainly hope there will come a time when this amazing cast, lightning in a bottle cast, will get back together. Can you see you guys reuniting at some point for a "30 Rock" movie and would you be up for that?
BROWN: See, that is going to be tough, because I happen to know for a fact that a bunch of us have changed our phone numbers, we don`t even want to hear from each other anymore. So I don`t know how they are even going to catch me, because my number is different.
HAMMER: Yes, that`s why they have Facebook and Twitter. They are going to find you, Kevin Brown, and they`re going to find you right here at some point talking about Honey Boo Boo on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
BROWN: You can catch me on Twitter. I tweet all the time.
HAMMER: Well, Kevin, congratulations on an amazing run. I`ll look forward to having you back on the show before too long. Best of luck with everything.
BROWN: Thank you, A.J. Appreciate the hospitality you have given me over these seven years.
HAMMER: It`s my pleasure. And I want everybody who is watching to just dry your eyes. Because I have got an amazing moment that will at least take part of the sting out of the end of "30 Rock," tonight. It`s our SHOWBIZ moment of Awesomeness.
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HAMMER: That`s `N Sync`s JC Chasez. He`s shocking a bunch of sorority girls with a surprise serenade. It`s tonight`s SHOWBIZ moment of Awesomeness, and it is going to make you swoon.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
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HAMMER: It is time for SHOWBIZ Awesomeness. This is where we name the most awesome moment of the day. And tonight we`re going back to college. Yes, let`s head on down to the sorority house, shall we, along with `N Sync`s JC Chasez. This is a moment that a lot of young women at the University of Southern California will never forget. Former `N Sync heartthrob J.C. Chasez just showed up during one of their formal events and serenaded them with an incredible, soulful version of the Lumineers` major hit song "Ho Hey."
You are definitely going to want to sit down for this, SHOWBIZ moment of absolute awesomeness.
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HAMMER: What an awesomely amazing memory for USC`s Tri-Delt. Thank you for watching. I am A.J. Hammer in New York. Catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Monday through Thursday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.
HLN continues right now.
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