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Showbiz Tonight
Why Do Some Defend Jodi; Countdown of Top 3 SHOWBIZ Shockers; Interview with Donald Trump
Aired March 26, 2013 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Well, we saw on "HLN AFTER DARK" the bold accusation: Was Jodi Arias obsessed? Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," the top three reasons why some people are defending Jodi. Her rough path, allegations of abuse. But which reason will top the "SHOWBIZ Countdown?"
And before there was Jodi, there was Amanda Knox, the infamous acquitted accused killer set to face trial again. So we`re in Rome tonight, following the shock waves of this stunning reversal.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer, and now that "HLN AFTER DARK" just dug deep into Jodi Arias`s apparent obsession with her ex-, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT stays up after dark with the provocative "SHOWBIZ Countdown," defending Jodi Arias. The top three reasons why some people are actually defending Arias, who of course, admits she brutally killed her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander.
Our number three reasons why some are defending Arias, her defense claims. Jodi claims Travis abused her and that she lied about killing him in self- defense, because she was trying to protect his reputation. Well, today a domestic violence expert testifying for Jodi`s defense said that is common with domestic violence victims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALYCE LAVIOLETTE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXPERT: I see over and over again that people I`m with are very concerned about the reputation of the, you know, partner that they have. They`re concerned about, you know, if it`s a schoolteacher, they`re concerned about that schoolteacher losing their job if anybody finds out. They`re worried about a reputation that somebody has.
There`s a lot of concern from victims across the board that the person they`re with is going to have a marred reputation or lose their career.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, regardless of what they think of Jodi Arias, it`s difficult to argue with that logic.
With me in New York, Jane Velez-Mitchell, who brings you live coverage of the Arias trial weeknights at 7 p.m. Easter on "THE JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL SHOW."
With us tonight from Hollywood, criminal defense attorney Anahita Sedaghatfar. So good to have you both here.
Jane, I`ll start with you in our countdown question. Do Jodi Arias` abuse claims make her somehow more sympathetic?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN ANCHOR: Not in my book. Listen, she has said that she was abused by Travis Alexander, but where`s the proof? She never filed for a restraining order. She never called 911. Even in the journal she kept, there is no reference to any abuse whatsoever. In fact, she`s often singing his praises.
Now, he did call her some nasty names on a phone sex tape, but the prosecutor says, "Hey, that was consensual. They were involved in a sex game." That`s very different from abuse.
HAMMER: What do you think, Anahita? Do all of those claims by Jodi get outweighed by the fact that she doesn`t seem to have the evidence to back this up?
SEDAGHATFAR: I think so. I think at this point her only defense really is that she was abused, because remember, A.J., this isn`t a whodunit. We know that she killed Travis Alexander. She is claiming that she acted in self-defense, and in order to prove self-defense, she`s going to have to show that she reasonably feared for her life and that Travis Alexander wasn`t this churchgoing choir boy that he presented himself to be to his friends and family, that he was mentally abusive, physically abusive, a sexual deviant, and it was that Travis Alexander that she feared.
HAMMER: Yes, and anybody who`s been watching along with the live coverage here on HLN every day has watched Jodi work very hard, along with her defense team, to paint herself as this abuse victim in hopes, of course, that the jury will believe she killed Travis Alexander in self-defense. She previously testified about what she said was a previous incident with Travis that I want to play for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIAS: And he slammed me on the floor at the foot of his bed, called me a bitch, and he kicked me in the ribs. And that hurt for real. But he went to kick me again, and I put my hand out and -- to block his foot, and it clipped my hand and hit my finger.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. The only evidence of abuse is from Jodi, as we`ve been saying, who admitted to frequently lying in this case, as well.
So last night on "HLN AFTER DARK," seen at 10 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN, the live in-studio jury was asked to rule on whether Travis Alexander was guilty of abusing Jodi, taking everything into consideration. Now listen to this: by an 11-1 vote, they said Travis was not guilty of abusing Jodi. So Jane, I have to believe that you think the real Arias jury is going to be deciding the same thing during their deliberations. Because they`re going to talk about it, right?
ARIAS: She is a pathological liar. She has lied about everything. She said she wasn`t there. Then, when they presented her with evidence, she said, "Yes, two masked ninjas burst into the house and killed Travis." She has lied so many times, why should anybody believe her about this claim of abuse?
And the jurors in their questions actually asked her that very question: "Why should we believe you when you have lied so many times before?"
But the problem is, all they need is one person to believe her on that jury. And there was one vote that essentially says, "Yes, I believe her story." That`s troublesome for the prosecutor.
HAMMER: Anahita, are the juror members even going to deliberate this when they get together to decide Jodi`s fate?
SEDAGHATFAR: Of course they are, because like Jane said, you know, it only takes one of those jurors to sympathize with Jodi.
And I think you also made a good point, that Jodi Arias`s testimony is evidence. So of course, we`re hearing all this talk about there`s no corroboration, she didn`t enter these abuse incidents in her diary, but her testimony itself is evidence in this case.
And her domestic violence expert and her psychologist did a great job so far of explaining why she never, I guess, made notes of this in her journal, why she never told anyone, that that behavior is consistent with a victim of domestic violence and abuse.
HAMMER: That one sympathetic juror, that`s all they need.
Well, the number two reason on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" why some people are defending Jodi Arias: they find her likeable. Check this out. This was probably the most dramatic moment that we`ve seen in the trial in a while. Prosecutor Juan Martinez made a very bold claim about the psychologist who was called to the stand to defend Jodi Arias and her claims. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUAN MARTINEZ, PROSECUTOR: Isn`t it true that she discussed thoughts, feelings, conversations associated with the trauma in the "48 Hours" interview?
DR. RICHARD SAMUELS, PSYCHOLOGIST: Yes.
MARTINEZ: So again, that speaks against what`s in number one, doesn`t it?
SAMUELS: I`m sorry, I don`t see it that way.
MARTINEZ: Right. You wouldn`t see it that way because you have feelings for the defendant, right?
SAMUELS: I beg your pardon, sir.
WILLMOTT: Objection. Argumentative, totally inappropriate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. It may be inappropriate, but I actually laughed out loud when that happened. Jane, our countdown question, was it out of line for Martinez to accuse that defense witness of having feelings for Arias?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think prosecutor Juan Martinez overall has done an excellent job, and he`s dealing with some very slippery customers, as it were, but that`s probably the worst thing you can accuse a psychiatrist of.
And what`s the evidence? He gave her a gift in the form of a book called "Your Erroneous Zones." Not the smartest thing he`s ever done, but I don`t it`s fair to make that leap.
HAMMER: What do you think, Anahita? Is the likability factor for Jodi Arias possibly the one thing that could turn perhaps even one juror?
SEDAGHATFAR: Yes. I think that her looks are one of the best things she has going for her. There is clearly a mountain of evidence against her, but look at her. She looks like this young, attractive, petite, demure librarian.
And her defense attorneys are basically treating this trial like a theater, and that`s the sign of a good defense attorney and a prosecutor. And they are playing that up to those jurors, because they want those jurors to look at her and see a stark contrast between the brutality of this murder and her, and they want it to be difficult for them to wrap their heads around the fact that she could have premeditated this brutal, brutal killing.
HAMMER: Yes. They`ll play up every angle they can if they think it will do something for them.
And now on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," we`re down to the number one reason that some people may defend Jodi Arias. It`s Jodi`s troubled past.
Now we`re hearing a lot about Jodi Arias`s difficult relationship with her mother. In another shocking moment that we heard about, we heard mother- daughter relationship between Jodi and her mom, it got violent on several occasions, including just a few months before Jodi killed Travis.
So Jane, here`s this countdown question. Will that news that Jodi kicked her mom actually make the jury feel sorry for Jodi or are they going to think, you know, this is proof that she`s violent enough to have murdered Travis, and that she`s just making more stuff up?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Who knows what a jury will do? After Casey Anthony, I never predict anymore.
However, I think there`s a lot of evidence that this young woman was trouble from the get-go. I certainly don`t believe in a bad seed theory, but there is evidence that she has had problems in her life and problems with her mother who she threw under the bus and claimed, "Oh, mom beat me with a wooden spoon when I was a kid." Who knows if that`s true or not. But she`s had problems with her mom and her family for decades, long before Travis Alexander came into the picture.
HAMMER: But you would say it hurts her more than helps her. It`s not a reason she`s defendable at all.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I would say so.
HAMMER: OK. All right, guys. Anahita, Jane Velez-Mitchell, thank you both so much. It`s great to have you here.
SEDAGHATFAR: Thank you very much.
HAMMER: And you can always check out much more, the very latest on the Jodi Arias trial, with HLN`s newest hit show, "HLN AFTER DARK: THE JODI ARIAS TRIAL." It`s on Monday through Thursday at 10 p.m. Eastern right here on HLN. It`s got you covered on everything you could possibly want to know and probably more about the Jodi Arias trial.
Well, as Jodi waits for the end of her trial to discover her fate, another infamous and attractive, accused killer who was acquitted, is now heading back into the fire all over again.
Just when she thought it was over, Amanda Knox -- remember, the American exchange student accused of murder in Italy? -- she`s now facing a retrial. Will she have to be there? It`s the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of the day`s top three "SHOWBIZ Shockers." Big question for us is: Will this stunning reversal be number one on our countdown?
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going to Rome tonight. CNN`s Barbara Nadeau has covered the story from the very beginning, and she has the very latest details for us tonight.
Omarosa versus La Toya. This is a battle royale: reality royalty versus music royalty. Their nasty "Celebrity Apprentice" war about to get really ugly. Did La Toya Jackson apologize to Omarosa for what she said about Omarosa`s late fiance? Will Omarosa take La Toya to the cleaners? She`s right here telling me the real deal.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, REAL-ESTATE MOGUL: In the case of La Toya, she`s a fine person, she`s a wonderful person. Let them go on with their lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, a "SHOWBIZ News Maker." That is "Celebrity Apprentice`s" boss, Donald Trump, opening up to me about one of the most epic reality TV battles of all time, Omarosa Manigault going head to head with La Toya Jackson. And now that extra-ugly showdown may be spilling from the boardroom to the courtroom.
The war of words between La Toya and Omarosa will go down in history, perhaps as one of the most cringe-worthy clashes on TV. That nasty battle reached a tipping point with La Toya`s parting shot when she was fired from "Celebrity Apprentice." Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LA TOYA JACKSON, CONTESTANT, "CELEBRITY APPRENTICE": Omarosa is the most evil person I have ever met. She`s the most conniving, scheming, cutthroat, probably pulled the chord on Michael Duncan Clarke, and I thought Mr. Trump was falling for that fake cry: "Michael, Michael." Such a lie. When I met her, I knew she was a snake. I should have handled her differently.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oy. La Toya not holding back there at all, and now she may be headed to court over those very words. But is this a telltale sign that reality TV has finally gone too far?
I figure who better to ask than the woman at the center of this battle. Here she is: Omarosa Manigault with me in New York tonight with the "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" interview. It`s always good to see Omarosa.
And I must tell you, when I heard those words coming out of La Toya`s mouth, I was thrown back in my chair. Tell me how you reacted when you saw that clip? I`ve got to know.
OMAROSA MANIGAULT, REALITY TV STAR: I was devastated. I felt like somebody kicked me in my stomach. I mean, I`ve been on reality TV for about ten years, but that is one of the ugliest, nastiest, vile comments I`ve ever heard in the history reality TV.
HAMMER: It just seems so incredibly low, so over the line, as far as I was concerned. And now, you`re threatening legal action. Are you ultimately just hoping for an apology from La Toya or will that not be enough?
MANIGAULT: You know, we did ask for a retraction, and had she stopped with the statement she made in October, I think that everything would have gone away and, you know, all would have been forgotten. But she continued to repeat those untruthful statements and harmful statements in the media throughout her press tour in the last couple of weeks.
And so someone has to stop her from doing this and trying to hurt my family. And I`m going to be just the one to do it.
HAMMER: All right. Well, obviously, no love lost there between you and La Toya. I also spoke with Claudia Jordan today, Omarosa --
MANIGAULT: Who? Who is she?
HAMMER: She, of course, your "Apprentice" co-star, and apparently, from what I`ve come to understand, your former friend...
MANIGAULT: Well, listen, all of these girls have been fired, and they`re just -- sour grapes. I mean, bye-bye.
HAMMER: Listen, hold on. We can let her speak for herself. She, of course, was fired on this last episode of the show. And she said a lot of the clashes on the show, Omarosa, stemmed from your behavior. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLAUDIA JORDAN, CONTESTANT, "CELEBRITY APPRENTICE": I don`t hate you. It`s unfortunate that things turned out the way they are -- the way they did, but, you know, you kind of brought this on yourself.
And be kind to people, be honest, and stop playing the victim, because your acting is not that good. Next time try some tears. Maybe a little glycerin or just water.
HAMMER: OK. All right. Hold on. Claudia says it`s all on you.
MANIGAULT: They`re all sore losers.
HAMMER: Hold on. I`ve gotten to know you a bit since you became reality`s greatest villain when you first appeared on "Apprentice," and it seems to me it really is a character that you play for the show, but your castmates seem to think otherwise. So pardon the pun: What is the reality? Who are you, Omarosa?
MANIGAULT: The reality is you and I have spent enough time together to know that I do what I have to do to entertain my fans. I love being a part of the "Apprentice" franchise for the last 10 years. And the folks at home get it.
But clearly, my teammates didn`t know that I was playing the game and I was playing to win, and all of them get fired, and then they get mad at me.
HAMMER: I guess you play it so, so real. So you`re busy with "Celebrity Apprentice." You have your charity work, of course, going on. And now a show for Oprah for OWN? What is this?
MANIGAULT: Oprah chose her most memorable guests from the last 25 seasons, and I was on ten years ago with Donald Trump when we first launched "The Apprentice," and she decided to check in and see what I was doing after ten years.
And so she came to my home. They came to my church. They saw what my day- to-day life was like and it was great to be on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
HAMMER: Just behave yourself when you`re around Oprah. A little piece of advice.
Great to see you, as always.
MANIGAULT: And I`m playing for the Sue Duncan Children`s Center in Chicago, my fiance`s charity.
HAMMER: Terrific.
Make sure you look for Omarosa Sunday nights on NBC`s "All-star Celebrity Apprentice."
Great seeing you.
All right. Moving on now, he`s back in number one again. He`s got a new love. Tiger is back, at least according to Nike. A bold new ad featuring Tiger Woods has tongues wagging today. Does a winning streak really mean we can forget about Tiger`s mistress mayhem? The "SHOWBIZ Countdown" tonight, the day`s top three "SHOWBIZ Shockers."
But is it a bigger blockbuster than Kim Kardashian`s baby secrets? Well, today Kim K. just revealed her most uncomfortable mommy-to-be style moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: I just bought my first pair of flats the other day, and I wore them. They are so uncomfortable. Like, my heels are so comfortable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So does Kim`s shocking confession mean that she is going to be rocking her Louboutins and skin-tight leather skirts her whole pregnancy? And you have to see if that shocker tops our "SHOWBIZ Countdown."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Lil Wayne`s tenth solo album, "I am Not a Human Being 2" dropped today. Now, some people worried that the rapper might not have lived to see its release. That`s because Wayne was rushed to the hospital after suffering a seizure nearly two weeks ago.
Wayne`s health scare may have been drug-related, which led SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to wonder, when was the last time a hip-hop star went to rehab? Usually, you don`t hear about that. Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Nischelle Turner investigates hip-hop`s drug history and its reluctance for recovery.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NISCHELLE TURNER, HLN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Substance abuse is nothing new in the music industry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I first told my mother, I said, you know, "Mama, I`m a drug addict," you know.
And she said, "We know that, love."
TURNER: While rock stars and country stars seem to check into rehab regularly, rap stars are often reluctant to take those 12 steps toward sobriety.
JERMAINE HALL, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "VIBE" MAGAZINE: If you present yourself to be this alpha male, and you present yourself to be this gangsta emcee, going to rehab doesn`t really fit that picture.
HAROLD OWENS, SENIOR DIRECTOR, MUSICARES: Twenty, 25, 30 years ago it was exactly the same for the rock-`n`-rollers. Sex and drugs and rock-`n`-roll and street cred.
TURNER: Snoop Dogg built his brand on his proclivity for pot, even changing his name to Snoop Lion as an homage to Rastafarian culture.
In recent years, Scissor, a combination of pharmaceutical cough syrup and alcohol or other drugs, has been glamourized in music videos by 36 Mafia and by Lil Wayne in the documentary "The Carter." And according to Harold Owens, who has staged interventions for top musicians of all genres on behalf of Grammy Foundation`s MusiCares MAP program, Scissors isn`t the biggest problem for rappers.
OWENS: Always coke, always alcohol, pot and opiates.
HALL: And rock-`n`-roll. Where are you going? Sort of like, if you have a problem, basically, you know, you have a sponsor that goes on tour with you. The system is set up for those genres that are better than it is for hip-hop.
TURNER: "Vibe`s" Jermaine Hall believes the community would be better served if hip-hop stars were more candid about their struggles with addiction.
HALL: The best example is Eminem, and he`s probably the exception to the rule. Because he made it through. He was very public with it.
TURNER: Education, or in this case re-education, is the key.
HALL: Reprogramming them to see that, hey, if you go to therapy, it doesn`t mean that you`re any less gangsta. It just means that you have an issue and you`re dealing with that issue.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes. If you need help, get help. That was SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner.
Well, Kim Kardashian`s slam shocker is coming up. The Kardashian sisters used to being targeted, of course. But a new car ad featuring Kim, Kortney and Khloe tied up and gagged in a car trunk has gone way over the line, so the sisters are striking back now. It`s the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of the day`s top three "SHOWBIZ Shockers."
Plus, before Jodi Arias, another case had the world transfixed: the murder trial of Amanda Knox. The college exchange student was acquitted, but now there`s big breaking news that she may be retried. We`re in Rome tonight with CNN`s Barbie Nadeau with all the latest details.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now the "SHOWBIZ Countdown." Today`s top three "SHOWBIZ Shockers."
Before there was Jodi Arias, there was Amanda Knox. The infamous acquitted accused killer is heading back into the fire all over again. A stunning reversal today could mean Amanda could be retried for murder. SHOWBIZ is in Rome tonight with CNN`s Barbie Nadeau, who has all of the latest details.
Tiger Woods back at number one and back to public enemy number one? So a new Nike ad shocks his fans and foes, but is it the number one "SHOWBIZ Shocker" of the day?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, it`s these top three SHOWBIZ Shockers. Let`s get right to it. Coming in at number three, how do you say wow in Italian? Today, Italy`s Supreme Court overturned the acquittal of American student Amanda Knox. In order to retrial for her and her former lover an the charges that they murdered their roommate Meredith Kercher back in 2007. It was a shocker, of course, because Amanda Knox was acquitted back in 2011. She returned to the U.S., she signed this multi- million dollar book deal and she became a media darling. Well now, the question is, will she have to return to Italy to once again stand trial for this murder in a very violent, lurid case. For more on this shocker, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is going all the way to Rome tonight. CNN contributor Barbara Nadeau literally wrote the book on Amanda Knox. It`s called "Angel Face." She joins us now from Rome. And Barbie, this Italian Supreme Court ruling is certainly a bit complicated when you take a hard look at it, so give me the bottom line. Is the Italian court actually demanding that Amanda stands trial once again for the murder of her roommate?
BARBARA NADEAU, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: That`s right. Her case has to be heard again on the appellate court level, but Amanda Knox does not have to be present for that case. In Italy, under Italian law, defendants, even for murder cases, do not have to be present in their cases, so she and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito will not have to be here, but her trial will be heard again. It`s basically been thrown back to the point, in which she was convicted of the murder of Meredith Kercher prior to the acquittal.
HAMMER: OK, because Amanda settled at home. She is in her home of Washington state, and there are a lot of people who say, you know, not much of a chance of her ever going back to Italy regardless of the courts may do, but what`s your take on what will happen if this goes through trial again and she`s found guilty all of a sudden?
NADEAU: Well, you know, definitely, it will go to trial again. We`re expecting that second trial to take place sometime in early 2014. You know, then it will -it might take a year, a little bit longer, to try that appellate case one more time. If she`s convicted on that level, then there is still another chance for her to be acquitted or to have that conviction confirmed. Only at that time would they be able to extradite or call for an extradition of Amanda Knox from Seattle, so she`s got a good two to three years, I think, before that`s ever going to come into play. In the meantime, though, the case goes on. And the family of Meredith Kercher, the victim, are very pleased with the results today. They want to see a retrial. They want to see Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito held responsible for the murder of their daughter. So, it`s a complicated case and it`s by far not over yet.
HAMMER: And what about the reaction from the people in Italy in general because this Amanda Knox saga really was a worldwide media sensation and very focus on over there in Italy, in addition to the family. What is the general population saying about this new decision?
NADEAU: Well, you know, there was an outcry when Amanda Knox was acquitted 18 months ago. You know, a lot of the Italians felt that the court - the appellate court that overturned her conviction was doing so under American pressure. Because it was such a big media story and there is so much attention on the global stage. Right now the Italians feel satisfied that there is another shot to see -- you know, if they re-acquit her, then I think people will sleep a little more easily here, but I think for the most part, people felt that there was pressure to acquit her. Now we`ve got a second chance. If they acquit her again, I think we`re going to be able to avoid that accusation. If not, if they find her guilty again, then she`s got a long road ahead to find what eventually happens, if she has to come back to prison or if she has to come back to Italy, if she fights extradition. All those questions are down the road for her.
HAMMER: Just fascinating to see that this story still continues when so many people thought it was done. CNN contributor Barbie Nadeau in Rome. Thank you so much, Barbie.
I want to bring in team of journalists, Tony Potts joins me from Hollywood, here in New York I`m joined once again by HLN`s Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of her own self-titled show here on HLN week night 7 P.M. Eastern. So guys, here we`re once again, we`ve seen Amanda ride this real wave of sympathy from people who believe her when she says she`s been wrongly accused from the very start, and of course she was acquitted. Jane, let me throw our Countdown question to you first. Now that Amanda`s acquittal has been tossed, do you think people are sitting around rethinking their opinion about her innocence?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely not. People have formed their opinions. This case was highly politicized. It really became a referendum on the Italian judicial system, which doesn`t compare favorably to the American judicial system. There was very sloppy crime scene evidence collection. On top of it you had this bizarre prosecutor who was obsessed with Satanism and who accused her of being involved in a sex game gone wrong with precious little evidence. Remember, there is already a guy, named Rudy Guede, a drifter serving time for killing this woman. So, absolutely, I think that this was a case that really became something that you had cheering sections on either side.
HAMMER: Tony, is that how you see it? Because, you know, in the Jodi Arias case ...
TONY POTTS, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Yeah.
HAMMER: It`s pretty cut and dry how people think. There is not a lot of confusion or gray area there, but with Amanda Knox, of course, I don`t know. You know, a lot of people watched this trial play out. They watched her become acquitted and now a lot of people may be confused today by this decision that the Italian courts are doing it again.
POTTS: Well, I think Jane is right about the cheering. I`m from Seattle, so I called my peeps up there this morning and said, look, what`s the general consensus? And remember, when she was acquitted there was a great cheering and she was greeted with great fanfare in Seattle. This morning they are shocked up there, people are like, really? And it kind of turned their heads a little bit, like what can possibly happen now? The big question is, if the trial happens, and she is found guilty, will she be extradited back to Italy? Because in the U.S., you can`t be tried twice for the same crime, and so that will be interesting for me to find out as well. But in Seattle, they`re very shocked, and you can remember, the family waged a very effective media PR campaign to counteract all the claims that were done in Italy, of her being this sexy girl who wanted all this stuff. And though they will - I`m told from the people in Seattle, they will wage another campaign if they need it, a PR campaign, to support their daughter once again.
HAMMER: Imagine what`s going on with the Knox family, though.
POTTS: Yeah.
HAMMER: This saga just won`t go away.
Well, people may be changing their opinions of Amanda Knox or perhaps not, but people have possibly changed their opinions of Tiger Woods. Could it be? Number two in our countdown of SHOWBIZ Shockers tonight, it`s Nike`s shocking new ad. Look at this, it suggests that Tiger`s cheating scandal is year - water under the bridge, now that he`s winning again. This is Nike`s new ad, which features Tiger and the caption, Tiger`s own words, "Winning takes care of everything." It`s a celebration of Tiger`s win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which made Tiger the world`s number one golfer. Once again, it`s amazing he came back. Tiger lost his number one ranking back in October of 2010, of course, after embarrassing himself, his family, everybody in that massive cheating scandal that destroyed his marriage. Well, today Nike is getting some angry feedback for even suggesting that Tiger`s past misdeeds are all erased, because he did well in golf. Jane, here`s the SHOWBIZ Countdown question, are Nike and Tiger Woods right, does winning take care of everything?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, look, I believe in redemption. I believe that people have an opportunity to clean up their messes, but I don`t think this is the way to do it. This is not humble. This sounds like more bragging. And let`s face it, a lot of lives beyond Tiger`s family were destroyed in this case. A lot of people were hurt. Many of the women he cheated with said publicly they felt like, oh, he had an arranged marriage and they were the only ones and they were having a love relationship. At least that`s what they claimed. He never apologized to the women, so far as we know. So maybe he has some cleaning up still left to do.
HAMMER: Yeah. Well, speaking of bragging, Jane, I spoke with Donald Trump today -I have ...
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: ... sorry -- I asked Donald about Nike and his buddy Tiger Woods and whether winning does really take care of everything. And his answer was certainly vintage Trump. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP: Well, look, I`ve been a friend of Tiger`s for a long time. I`ve been his supporter through good and through bad times and I am so happy he`s doing so well, he`s playing so well, and we`re all thrilled for Tiger. He`s actually a great guy.
HAMMER: I hear you. Does it take care of everything, though, the fact that he won this in the minds of Americans, and should Tiger really feel like he`s kind of off the hook for what people still hold against him?
TRUMP: Well, winning certainly helps him. Tiger is a winner, and he`s always been a winner. And e had a rough patch, but, you know, he did something, A.J. that`s very hard to do. He made a major comeback. Most people cannot come back from adversity. Tiger has come back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tony Potts, does winning take care of everything for Tiger Woods?
POTTS: I wrote a blog this morning and posted it in "The Huffington Post." Here is the deal: It`s 98 percent no big deal, two percent, ah, there`s a little something there, because - listen, this saying has been around forever. OK?
HAMMER: Sure.
POTTS: In the boardroom, in, you know in sports, in what have you, right - if things are going well, the little things that bother you never pop up. If you start losing, if the TV show doesn`t do well, things that didn`t annoy you, something starts annoying you, right? So, 90 percent of it is just the thing. But there is two percent, and you have to imagine that Nike and Tiger said, you know what, in all the meetings we had about we`re going to launch this campaign, is there going to be any blowback? The problem is going to be some blowback ...
HAMMER: Yeah.
POTTS: ... on the personal stuff. Now, from a brand perspective, can we withstand that? Is it OK to get that blowback? Absolutely.
HAMMER: OK.
POTTS: And that`s what I`m thinking it is. Because look at ...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Maybe not if you`re a woman.
HAMMER: Yeah, well, that`s true. I got to leave it there.
POTTS: I agree. I agree.
HAMMER: I got to move on because we`ve got to get to number one, our biggest SHOWBIZ Shocker. Stay right where you are.
You got to get your take on this. Number one on the SHOWBIZ Countdown of the day`s SHOWBIZ Shockers, brand new outrage over this Ford ad, the Kardashian sisters bound and gagged in a car trunk. There is a new developments tonight. You`re going to find out what the queens of reality TV are saying about this disturbing ad.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And tonight in the SHOWBIZ Countdown, we are counting down today`s top three SHOWBIZ shockers. Coming in at number three, shock waves after a stunning reversal. Italy`s highest court orders infamous acquitted accused killer Amanda Knox to face trial yet again. Number two, a bold new ad featuring Tiger Woods has everybody buzzing today. So, does a winning streak really mean we can forget about Tiger`s mistress mayhem? That takes us to number one on our show SHOWBIZ Shockers countdown, it`s the Kardashians, considering suing Ford now over this disturbing ad showing the sisters bound and gagged in a trunk. Ford says this ad never should have been leaked, but it was, and now the Kardashians are outraged. A rep telling SHOWBIZ TONIGHT in part, the Ford ads are disgusting, vile and offensive to all women. They are exploring all of their legal options. Well, Ford has apologized, the ad`s been yanked, but that backlash is still going strong and, of course, you can certainly find that ad online if you are looking for it.
Omarosa is a cast member on NBC`s all-star "Celebrity Apprentice." And she joins me in New York, entertainment journalist Tony Potts is in Hollywood tonight. Tony, I`m going to start with you. The Kardashians may take this to court. And look, you look at that ad, I get why they would be ticked off about the ad. Do you think they should just let it go or are they right in your mind, Tony, to possibly sue?
POTTS: I think they`re right. I think if you see what`s happened in India over the last six months with the rape case in India and the outcry across the world, the treatment of women and also the concentration on how India treats its women, how could Ford even mock up an ad like this for the Ford car in India? I mean it`s just - my wife is Indian, her family came from India, obviously, and my wife looks at this and she thought, first off, it`s stupid. And secondly, what`s the point? It`s just in really, really bad taste.
HAMMER: Yes, really poor taste. Omarosa, you know all about taking the stand. The Kardashians, of course, lived their lives in the spotlight. So, does that in a way make them fair game even for an ad like this, or is this simply over the line?
OMAROSA MANIGAULT, CAST MEMBER "ALL STAR CELEBRITY APPRENTICE": A.J., I think sometimes when people are in reality TV, folks forget that they`re human after all. When you look at this ad, you know, it really is insensitive and it might encourage some type of violence towards the sisters and they don`t deserve that and they didn`t deserve this depiction in this ad.
HAMMER: Yeah. I mean in a way we can step back for a moment and think of all of the grief that the Kardashians get. And yes, let`s tie them up and throw them in a trunk so we don`t have to deal with them again, but no. When you really think of what that represents, not a good idea.
MANIGAULT: Not a good idea.
HAMMER: Even if this ad was never supposed to get out there, don`t even toy around with it because it`s just in bad taste.
POTTS: We haven`t even heard from Paris Hilton either on this, so ...
HAMMER: That`s right.
POTTS: That could still happen.
HAMMER: Paris Hilton also involved in this. More than ever, eyes are now focused on Kim Kardashian, of course, because she`s pregnant and that pregnancy is just rolling along. This morning on "Good Morning, America" on ABC, Kim opened up about some of her toughest critics. Watch what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM KARDASHIAN: Courtney warns me that when you become a mom or become pregnant, there will be this whole new group of critics that will criticize you for everything you do. I mean if I wear one color clothes I`m in this kind of mood, they think, or if I wear heels, it`s, you know, some ...
(CROSSTALK)
KARDASHIAN: ... harmful. And it`s I - I think - my theory is happy mommy, happy baby, so whatever makes me feel good, I want to wear, and I love wearing heels. So, I`m trying the flats, but we`ll see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I actually totally dig in her philosophy. Happy mommy, happy baby. Why not feel good about yourself? Maybe your baby will take in that energy. Kim, of course, not due until July, so I guess that leaves the critics, yeah, four more months now to have their say. Omarosa ...
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: I think you know just a little bit about what it is like to be a reality TV star facing backlash. I could be wrong, but I`m pretty sure I have that down, so what advice would you have for Kim Kardashian as this stuff keeps on coming at her?
MANIGAULT: I think that she and her first time being a mom should be able to do it her way. If she wants to wear the heels, she should wear the heels. If she wants to have pizzazz and style, this is her prerogative as a mother. And as a friend, I think Kim is doing it her way.
HAMMER: Her way. All right, and Tony, you have been covering the Kardashians for a long time right now, really probably since the sex tape, I`m guessing.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: So, what`s your take on how Kim should handle it or is she handling it all just right and through everything, really going back to that sex tape as had to develop such a thick skin about it, that she`ll be just fine?
POTTS: I think she`ll be just fine. A.J., I got great advice from a pediatrician, an old school pediatrician when my first daughter was born. Before she is born, he said listen, read everything, listen to everybody and in the end do what you want. You want to know why? Because we`ve been having babies for thousands of years. It`s all going to be fine. Thick skin, do what you want and have fun.
HAMMER: Omarosa, is it really possible to keep all that negative energy away from you, though
MANIGAULT: No, I mean like I said we are humans and it`s important that people remember that while they are launching this really harsh types of criticisms and observations towards her.
HAMMER: All right. Omarosa Manigault, Tony Potts, great to have you both here. Thanks so much.
MANIGAULT: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: So, it has been a week now since Lindsay Lohan dodged jail again and was sentenced to rehab again. So, does Lohan family friend Donald Trump have Lindsay`s back this time?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: That`s a very, very sad case, and frankly, she`s got to get it together, and if she doesn`t, it`s going to be a real mess.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Oh, yes, and I`m on location with Donald Trump. He`s sounding off on Lindsay, kind of sounding off on same-sex marriage and the latest "All Start Celebrity Apprentice" castoff. Plus, wait until you see what we have named today as our moment of SHOWBIZ Awesomeness. This is SBT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now SHOWBIZ on location with "All Star Celebrity Apprentice" castoff Claudia Jordan and Donald Trump, the man that fired her. And Claudia was the latest contestant to be booted from Trump`s reality show. It sure looks like she`s not holding a grudge here. Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. So, I went on location with Donald today to ask him all about today`s hot topics, including the feud that started on his show, celebrity apprentice between Omarosa and La Toya Jackson. And that`s just the start. Trump also has some tough love for Lindsay Lohan tonight, but first, I want you to listen to what he told me. When I asked him if he feels that people who suggest he won`t fire Omarosa because she`s good TV are right.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TRUMP: No, A.J., I don`t feel that way. I was very surprised that Claudia didn`t bring her back. Claudia is terrific, by the way, but she didn`t bring her back and La Toya didn`t bring her back. Of all people, La Toya should have brought her back.
HAMMER: But you can understand why people might think that, because obviously, hey, who wants to kill off the villain so early in the season, and that`s what they are suggesting you would not have want to have done.
TRUMP: Well, I think that Omarosa has been great She`s been great for ratings, she`s been great for everything else, but the fact is, when it`s her time to go, she`ll be fired. If that time comes about. I think she should have been brought back the last two weeks. She wasn`t brought back, so I couldn`t have fired her.
HAMMER: Omarosa having things spilling now over from the boardroom into the courtroom. She is threatening some legal action against La Toya Jackson for some things that La Toya said about Omarosa. You are very quick to take legal action when you feel you`ve been improperly treated in public. Do you support what she`s doing?
TRUMP: Well, I do, to a certain extent, but not, you know, in the case of La Toya. She is a fine person, she is a wonderful person. Let them go on with their lives.
HAMMER: If La Toya apologizing would make it all go away, would you like to see La Toya do that?
TRUMP: I`m not sure that somebody wants to apologize. I`m not sure that I know what La Toya said that was so bad, but obviously ...
HAMMER: Well, the suggestion about Michael Clarke Duncan and the remark that she made about I think she pulled the plug, basically.
TRUMP: Well, I`m sure it`s going to go away at some point. It will all be resolved.
HAMMER: And I know you`re friendly with the Lohan family. She, of course, was sentenced to 90 days in lockdown rehab. First of all, have you been in touch at all with the Lohans?
TRUMP: Well, they`ll call, but honestly, she`s got to just straighten herself out. That`s a very, very sad case and frankly, she`s got to get it together, and if she doesn`t, it`s going to be a real mess?
HAMMER: Do you think this 90 days in rehab gives you any faith that we won`t be standing here, a year from now (ph), having the same conversation about it?
TRUMP: You know, at least this judge gave it a start, because so many years we were watching in and out, in and out of the courthouse. At least the judge, I think the judge probably made the right decision.
HAMMER: Big marriage equality news today. The Supreme Court hearing arguments against domain, against proposition 8. New polls are showing that the majority of Americans support marriage equality. What do you think the Supreme Court should do in their decisions?
TRUMP: Well, I think it`s going to be a very hard decision for them, but ultimately they`re going to make a decision. It`s going to be a very, very major decision. I am also interested to see how it comes out. It`s going to be a very big, and, you know, bigger than most. It`s going to be a major decision.
HAMMER: You`re interested. What are you interested in hearing them decide?
TRUMP: Well, I`m interested in seeing what their decision will be.
HAMMER: I understand that, but what would you like it to be? What would you like to see them decide?
TRUMP: I want them to do what they think is right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So he wasn`t going to answer the question, but he is right about one thing, the Supreme Court`s decision on same-sex marriage will obviously be watched by millions. Trump`s "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice" airs Saturday nights on NBC.
Well, I have got two words for you when it comes to tonight`s moments of SHOWBIZ Awesomeness. Don Draper. And we`ve got the highly anticipated SHOWBIZ first look at Season 6 of "Madman." So, get your martinis and miniskirts ready, SHOWBIZ Awesomeness is next. This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Time now for SHOWBIZ Awesomeness. This is where we name the most awesome moment of the day and yeah, we are shaking our martinis in anticipation of the new series of "Madman" and we just think it`s awesome that the wait is almost over. Here now, a SHOWBIZ first look at the sixth season that has us all going mad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But what is happiness?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s the moment before you need more happiness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m tired of living this delusion?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re not happy with anything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am who I am. The next thing will be better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you alone?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The clothes, the sex, the cocktails. All of it returns next Sunday.
Coming up next on "Dr. Drew on Call" Tuesday, time for Dr. Drew`s Jodi Arias trial report card. Are they with Jodi or against her? "Dr. Drew on Call" starts right now.
END
