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Showbiz Tonight
Jodi Arias Defense Uses Movies to Make Case; Kourtney Kardashian Offers to be Surrogate for Khloe; Countdown of Top 3 Newsmakers
Aired April 01, 2013 - 23:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: You saw it tonight on "HLN AFTER DARK" that bold accusation. Did Jodi stab Travis first? Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is revealing "Jodi Arias Movie Madness." I`m counting down the top three movies that are making the Jodi Arias case.
JENNIFER LOPEZ, ACTRESS: You cannot do this to me. You cannot do this to me!
HAMMER: "Enough," "Pretty Woman." Jodi`s own defense experts point to Hollywood for answers. What`s the No. 1 movie making the Jodi Arias case tonight?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer. Thank you for watching.
And now that HLN AFTER DARK made its arguments in the Jodi Arias murder trial, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is staying up after dark with a must-see showbiz count down: the "Jodi Arias Movie Madness." I`m talking about the movies featuring domestic abuse that are now tied to the Arias case.
This all began when a domestic violence expert in Jodi`s defense suggested that Jodi may have killed her boyfriend, Travis Alexander, shooting him and stabbing him 29 times, because he abused her. And the expert brought up three movies during her testimony: "Enough," "Sleeping with the Enemy" and "The Burning Bed."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALYCE LAVIOLETTE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXPERT: In each of those portrayals, what you see is a very popular female actress that`s usually beloved by -- by many people, and she`s pure as the driven snow.
You see the lesser-known male perpetrators, and they`re actually very one- dimensional, and they`re purely evil. So we have this very defined, you know, sort of black-and-white category, pure good, and pure evil, and most anybody doesn`t fit into that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So is there anything to this "Jodi Movie Madness"? With me in New York tonight, Jane Velez-Mitchell, whose compelling live coverage of the Jodi Arias trial can be seen weeknights at 7 p.m. Eastern here on "THE JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL SHOW" here on HLN. And former federal prosecutor and CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin also with me here tonight.
Ladies, we kick off the countdown with No. 3, and it is a tie between two movies that feature domestic violence: "Enough" with Jennifer Lopez and "Sleeping with the Enemy" starring Julia Roberts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOPEZ: You cannot do this to me.
HAMMER (voice-over): To some extent this is how Jodi Arias clearly wants the jury to see her.
Like the characters played by Julia Roberts in "Sleeping with the Enemy" and Jennifer Lopez in "Enough," Arias has been saying she, too, was abused by her handsome lover, Travis Alexander.
JODI ARIAS, MURDER DEFENDANT: He kicked me in the ribs.
HAMMER: And the Arias defense team`s domestic violence expert cited those two movies in her testimony to make a point, that just because Arias isn`t the pure girl we see in the movies doesn`t mean she`s not a victim, just like Travis could have been like those abusive monsters we see in the films. But is this the story that the jurors will see?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Jodi`s defense seems clearly trying to equate Jodi Arias with the domestic violence victims in those movies. JVM, off to you first: does it seem so farfetched?
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": To me, yes. Because what we have seen evidence of, A.J., isn`t domestic violence and beatings. What we`ve seen evidence of is kinky sex.
And so prosecutors believe that these two, Travis and Jodi, were involved in kinky sex games. Two consenting adults. And they have texts and other evidence to show that she was an eager and willing participant, to whit, she asked for a good, well-deserved spanking at one point. That is not domestic violence. That S&M, and that requires two consenting adults.
HAMMER: Very important distinctions you make there, Jane Velez-Mitchell.
So Sunny, was the defense witness wrong to even bring up those movies?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You know, I don`t know that that witness has done anything wrong at this point. This was a very effective witness for this defense, in my view. I mean, she has this way about her. She`s storytelling. She`s connecting with this jury.
Who hasn`t seen these movies? I`ve seen all of them, and I suspect that the jury has seen them, as well. And so the fact that she`s sort of trying to equate Jodi Arias with these heroines could -- could -- be pretty good for the defense.
I would agree with Jane, though. I mean, I, having prosecuted domestic violence cases, I don`t think that what Jodi Arias has mentioned sort of fits into what we see in domestic violence cases. It just doesn`t quite fit for me. But is this witness doing a pretty good job? Yes. I think so.
HAMMER: Well, let`s see if you make a connection to No. 2 in our "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of "Jodi Arias Movie Madness." This is another film that was mentioned on the stand by Jodi`s domestic violence experts. The groundbreaking, 1984, Farrah Fawcett TV movie "The Burning Bed."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "The Burning Bed" tells the story of a real-life woman who pioneers the defense Jodi is trying to use: that killing can be justified to escape domestic violence.
FARRAH FAWCETT, ACTRESS: Ran for my life, ran for the life of my kids.
HAMMER: "The Burning Bed" tells the true-life story of Francine Hughes, who torched her husband`s bed with him in it in 1977 after enduring one of his many beatings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you`re telling me is Nicky fell asleep. Is that right?
FAWCETT: Yes.
HAMMER: As we saw in the movie, Hughes beat murder charges by convincing the jury she snapped after suffering years of domestic violence. It`s now called the battered woman`s defense.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you premeditate and plan the death of your husband, Mickey Hughes?
FAWCETT: No.
HAMMER: Today the real-life Francine Hughes is a free woman, and Jodi Arias hopes to be, too.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So that "Burning Bed" case was one of the first to successfully use that battered women`s syndrome as a defense against murder, Jane. But can you compare the two? Her, her situation and Jodi`s situation?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: No, you can`t. And a lot of people feel that Jodi Arias`s defense is making a mockery of the whole issue of battered women`s defense, and doing a disservice to women who`ve truly been battered.
The battered women defense often comes with some kind of evidence that somebody is really brutalized, is really beaten over and over again. Black eyes, broken bones.
I mean, what we`ve seen in this finger demonstration, which the prosecution says is basically a shell game, and she makes no reference to this in her diaries. There is no attempt to call police. There`s no request for a temporary restraining order. There`s none of that. We cannot equate these two.
HAMMER: We all remember when "The Burning Bed" aired for the first time. Or at least most of us remember. And it is such an iconic movie, Sunny. It really is the reference point for so many people for this particular kind of a defense. What`s your take on whether or not this applies at all in the Jodi Arias situation?
HOSTIN: Yes. I mean, I remember seeing that movie, A.J. I guess we`re dating ourselves, right? I mean, it really was that seminal case when this sort of broke through, and we all started talking about, my goodness, this is what`s happening in many homes behind closed doors.
I don`t see the parallel with the Jodi Arias case. I think, you know, the battered women syndrome in this -- in that particular movie was just so present. It was -- she was beaten so viciously, repeatedly. People knew about it. There were witnesses to it. We just don`t have that here.
And I would agree with Jane. I mean, I`ve spoken to so many people, and they`re saying, "How dare they invoke that kind of defense?" It`s too soon to tell whether or not it will be successful, but I just don`t see the parallel. The evidence just doesn`t support that kind of theory.
HAMMER: Yes. No, I`ve been seeing a lot of that chatter, as well.
But that takes us to No. 1 on our "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of movies making the case in the Arias trial. It`s a movie that hasn`t been directly mentioned. It was about a love affair and a possibly violent possibly, unhinged woman. Sound familiar? "Fatal Attraction" anyone?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The steamy relationship between Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander makes the affair between Glenn Close and Michael Douglas in "Fatal Attraction" seem tame.
But "Fatal Attraction" and the Arias case have some parallels: a man with an unhinged ex-lover accused of attacking his car...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She had slashed his tires, several tires.
HAMMER: ... breaking into his house...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She would sneak into his house.
HAMMER: And, in the most eerie parallel of all, attacking him in the bathroom with a knife. In "Fatal Attraction," Glenn Close`s character got an immediate death sentence for those crimes.
Prosecutors are saying Arias deserves the same fate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Also, just like Michael Douglas in "Fatal Attraction," prosecutors are making the case that Travis Alexander is the abused victim in the Jodi Arias trial.
Jane, what do prosecutors need to do to discredit the attempt by Jodi`s defense team to paint Jodi as the victim?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: They need to bring this case back to the real victim, Travis Alexander. At this point we can envision her version of how she killed him better than we can envision the prosecution`s vision of how she killed him. And that`s something the prosecution needs to deal with ASAP.
HAMMER: Life imitating art yet again. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Sunny Hostin, thank you both.
And as we move on tonight, Kim Kardashian making some big headlines tonight. The tabloids bashing her again for her pregnancy weight gain. I don`t get this. It is so totally ridiculous to me. Well, I`m going one on one with a top blogger who`s telling the tabs, "Hey, back off." It`s our "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of today`s top three newsmakers. But I guess Donald Trump didn`t get the message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP, REAL ESTATE MOGUL: She`s really a nice person, and she`s gotten a little big large. I would say this. I don`t think you should dress like you weigh 120 pounds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Is the Donald bashing Kim Kardashian, too? You`ll get to judge for yourself. I`ve got your "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" interview with the Trumpster coming up. But who`s going to make our "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of today`s top three newsmakers?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN, REALITY TV STAR: You were telling them that you don`t know if your body can carry a child or something, that if one treatment doesn`t work, then you won`t be able to? So I just wanted to say that if you did need someone to carry your child, that I would volunteer my services. I would do that for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: What? Tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, battle of the baby bumps. That stunner from Kourtney Kardashian offering to carry a baby for her younger sister Khloe. You saw it last night on E!`s "Kourtney and Kim Take Miami." And talk about sisterly love. Right?
Kourtney`s big baby bombshell is kicking off tonight`s battle of the baby bumps. Khloe Kardashian Odom has been an open book about her and her husband Lamar`s struggle to get pregnant, leading to Kourtney`s shocking offer to be a surrogate. But you know, even by reality TV standards, is that really such a crazy idea?
With me tonight, Jenny Hutt, host of the Sirius/XM show "Just Jenny," is with me in New York.
What do you think, Jenny?
JENNY HUTT, HOST, SIRIUS/XM`S "JUST JENNY": Hi.
HAMMER: For a moment there, the Kardashian sisters have taken the spotlight off their famous pregnant sister, Kim.
HUTT: I know.
HAMMER: Is it so crazy?
HUTT: Yes, it`s great. No, I don`t think it`s so crazy. I think that`s what a sister would do, frankly. I think if I hadn`t been able to carry my kids, my sister would have offered to do so, and I would have done the same for her. I think it`s beautiful, actually.
HAMMER: She seemed genuinely sincere, but the Kardashians, you know, they`re known for being...
HUTT: They are.
HAMMER: ... in addition to a tight-knit family, they`re also known for just kind of putting stuff out there. I found it to be a bit of a shocker.
"Inside Edition" correspondent Megan Alexander is also with me in New York tonight. Megan, what do you think? Is Kourtney`s offer the real deal? Or is it typical Kardashian, playing up the drama for the sake of the show.
MEGAN ALEXANDER, CORRESPONDENT, CBS`s "INSIDE EDITION": You know, I also think this could be the real deal, and I agree. This was a beautiful selfless gesture.
You know, A.J., so many women are dealing with fertility issues and want to have their own biological child. I think this is a wonderful idea. Surrogacy is a gift that women can give each other. And again, with so many women dealing with fertility issues, such a beautiful gesture. I hope they follow through on it, if this is what Khloe chooses.
HAMMER: Gosh, can you imagine?
HUTT: Yes, right. Right.
HAMMER: Can you imagine the paparazzi following them around?
HUTT: It`s like we can`t knock them for great TV potential. If the truth is...
ALEXANDER: Right.
HUTT: ... that it`s coming from a selfish act, so be it, that they get people to watch.
HAMMER: The evolving Kardashians?
All right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s "Battle of the Baby Bumps" is going to take you across the pond now to Duchess Kate. There`s a brand-new report out today that she is not going to have a baby shower, because it would have been seen in poor taste, since the royals already have so much.
Now, Jenny, of course, the new royal baby is going to have everything he or she needs.
HUTT: Yes.
HAMMER: Are you down with the duchess on this?
HUTT: Look, I think she does everything right. So -- or everything correctly. So yes. I think it`s probably a...
HAMMER: Proper. Proper.
HUTT: She is a proper girl. So I think yes. I think, yes, I think it`s very lovely that she`s choosing to forgo the party in her honor of being pregnant. Because many people have been pregnant and, yes, they do have so much. So I think it`s a lovely thing that she`s saying no to the shower.
HAMMER: No, on the other hand, Kim Kardashian, who has not been shy about what she wants. Her baby registry reportedly includes a few items that I`ll mention for you now. A $940 stroller. A $500 mini baby crib. All right. Those aren`t so outrageous, but you have the $1,200 stuffed giraffe on the list, too, some custom baby shoes.
Donald Trump certainly knows a thing or two about wealthy women having baby showers. So I asked him today what he thought about Kim looking for gifts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`m sure you know a lot of friends with a lot of money who have babies. There`s nothing wrong with putting out for gifts even if you`ve got the cash. Is there?
TRUMP: No, I don`t think there is. And she`s a nice person. I`ve known her over the years. And she`s really a nice person.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Megan.
ALEXANDER: Baby advice from Donald Trump.
HAMMER: Megan, you and I have been there before with our friend Donald. Do you think people are going to want to -- you know, I think it`s OK, personally. Why not register for what you want, because people want to give gifts?
ALEXANDER: Sure. But I think, A.J., you and I talked about this before. What a wonderful opportunity for Kim to channel her fame and attention and put it towards charity. So if that`s a possibility for her, as you know, someone that could have anything she wants. I think I would be inclined to have people donate to a charity.
HAMMER: If you get a $1,200 giraffe, you give away a $1,200 giraffe.
ALEXANDER: Right.
HAMMER: Jenny, Megan, thank you both so much.
HUTT: Thank you.
HAMMER: All right. Get ready for this, because I`m firing up a mega- wattage SHOWBIZ COUNTDOWN of the top three newsmakers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought this bickering over, you know, silliness was behind us.
It definitely makes me question the timing of my engagement.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t lose anything if I don`t care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So reality TV powerhouse JWoww is heading to the soaps on the brand-new online reboot of "One Life to Live." Is she the future of soap operas?
Well, legendary "General Hospital" stars Jeanie Francis and Kim Shriner are right here to weigh in tonight. But who will our No. 1 "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" be.
Plus, Jim Carey`s new war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM CAREY, COMEDIAN (singing): Holding hands, holding hands, holding hands. You`re a big, big man with a little bitty (UNINTELLIGIBLE) so you need something bigger just to fill...
This is everything I hold dear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So why is the star`s Charlton Heston spoof sparking a brand- new firestorm? "SHOWBIZ Quick Hits" is coming up. You do not want to miss this explosive controversy.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The boss is coming into town.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he still the most terrifying dad on the face of the planet?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Uh-huh.
He`s not that scary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He pulled a sword on me at your wedding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. First of all, he was in full military dress. Second of all, he drove my grandma`s Rascal into a pool.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight a SHOWBIZ exclusive. Can shows like ABC`s "Happy Endings" be saved? This is one of the funniest shows on TV right now, but it is in danger of being cancelled.
So tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is teaming up exclusively with "USA Today for the 16th annual "Save Our Show" survey. Now, every year "USA Today" tries to help you save your favorite TV shows that are on the possibly chopping block. You ask you to vote in their "Save Our Show" survey and actually just launched this year`s poll in today`s paper and on USAToday.com. So the question is, are your favorite shows going to make it back for yet another season?
With me tonight in New York for a SHOWBIZ Exclusive is "USA Today" reporter Gary Levin, who is the man behind "Save Our Shows." we thank you for that. Thank you for being here.
GARY LEVIN, REPORTER, "USA TODAY": Thank you for having me.
HAMMER: So what are the big wows? The shows that we`ll be surprised to find out they may be cancelled?
LEVIN: Not a huge number of surprises this year. It`s been a tricky year for the networks, where the comedies just haven`t clicked with viewers. And there`s a lot of shows that would have been cancelled in years` past but are really kind of just teetering now, "Happy Endings" being one of them.
It`s been moved around a lot. It hasn`t been on more than three weeks in a row all season. But in terms of the surprises, I would say "Happy Endings" could be one of them, but you`re really looking at maybe more long-running shows that have had a hard time finding viewers.
HAMMER: OK. I know that the fans of those particular shows find it shameful that they could go away. When you started Save Our Show some 15 years ago, that was at a time when, quite frankly, nobody was really paying so much attention to fans and their online campaigns. But that has changed. You helped do that. You have Twitter saved that, Facebook. I`m thinking the networks have got to pay attention.
Give us some examples of shows that have been saved by those determined fans through social media?
LEVIN: Social media definitely has played a bigger role in the last few years. I would say "Chuck," "Fringe," shows like "Supernatural "and "Angel," going back a little ways, lasted longer than they might have otherwise.
That thee fans of genre, sci-fi, fantasy shows especially tend to be very vocal online and, even if their passion isn`t reflected in the Nielsen ratings, which is what ultimately networks base a lot of their decisions on it, it does indicate a loyal fan base that they can really count on to stay with the show.
HAMMER: So, Gary, if you could save one show that`s on the bubble that might not make it back, which one would it be?
LEVIN: What would I say? I don`t like to play favorites, but -- I`m going to leave it at that. I try and go with this very objectively.
HAMMER: Fair enough. "Revolution," one of my favorite shows of this past year. Is that going to survive?
LEVIN: Yes. That`s definitely coming back.
HAMMER: OK. Just needed to make sure, and there`s no bringing back "Friday Night Lights." That went away already.
LEVIN: No. That had its second life on DirecTV, and that...
HAMMER: Fans were a big part of that, too.
LEVIN: They were.
HAMMER: All right, Gary. Thank you so much.
We look forward to having you right back here for another SHOWBIZ exclusive when you get the results of "USA Today`s" "Save Our Show" survey. When you have them, we`ll be breaking that news right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And you get ready for another blockbuster "SHOWBIZ Countdown." It`s today`s top three newsmakers. I`m going one-on-one with the blogger who just wrote an explosive defense of Kim Kardashian. She is telling the tabloids, stop bashing Kim for gaining baby weight.
I guess Donald Trump didn`t get that message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: She`s a really nice person, and she`s gotten a little bit large. I would say this. I don`t think you should dress like you weigh 120 pounds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Is Donald bashing Kardashian, too? Judge for yourself. I`ve got the "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" interview with Donald Trump coming up. But will he top our "SHOWBIZ Countdown" OF Today`s top three newsmakers.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of tonight`s top three "SHOWBIZ Newsmakers," including the shocking attacks on Kim Kardashian for gaining weight while pregnant. So outrageous. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is one-on-one with the reporter who just wrote an explosive blog telling everyone to back off. But will that blogger top our soap opera newsmakers?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought this bickering over, you know, silliness was behind us. It definitely makes me question the timing of my engagement.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I didn`t lose anything if I didn`t care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jersey Shore`s JWoww just hired to be in the online reboot of "One Life to Live." SHOWBIZ dares to ask, can reality stars save the soaps? Well, tonight we`re going to ask two of the most legendary soap actors of all-time. "General Hospital`s" Genie Francis and Kin Shriner who were playing Laura and Scottie, are right here tonight. But which newsmaker will top our countdown tonight? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, we are counting down today`s top three newsmakers. Tonight the Kim Kardashian pregnancy weight gain outrage. The tabloid headlines have been really, really unkind to Kim, to say the least. And now a brand new explosive blog in "The Huffington Post" is declaring, enough already. That kicks off our Newsmaker countdown at number three.
The writers of that blog are standing up for Kim and they are slamming headlines like, "I Can`t Stop Eating: Kim, 65 Pound Weight Gain." It`s just awful. And even tougher to understand, they are actually catching some heat for defending Kim tonight.
Emma Gray co-wrote the blog with Margaret Wheeler-Johnson. And Emma, who is associate editor for the "Huff Post Women" is with me tonight in New York. And I`m really glad you wrote this, Emma. I want to read the headline on your blog. It says, "Kim Kardashian pregnancy weight fat shaming. Why you really should care?"
So, please, tell us why we really should care?
EMMA GRAY, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, HUFF POST WOMEN: Yes, so we were kind of inspired to write this blog after my boss, Margaret Johnson, was in a (INAUDIBLE) and snapped a photo of a bunch of tabloid magazines, many of which were talking Kim Kardashian and each one was speaking about a woman`s body in a really negative way, and it was just sort of appalling to see and really striking. And I think that, you know, this is less about protecting Kim Kardashian as a person. You know, she has made her fame through publicity, but I think that women -- everyone, and especially women should care, because it`s kind of impossible not to internalize these sort of messages when you see those headlines written over and over and over again.
HAMMER: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, people going after Kim don`t feel like there`s a line that is crossed that may even have nothing to do specifically with Kim. And there is one part of your blog that really stood out to me. I want to read that back. "After months of headlines focused on pregnant Jessica Simpson`s baby related weight fluctuation, the tabloid eye has come to rest on Kardashian. The fat shaming that has followed is in some ways more of the same, but it`s much, much more. Both the volumes of stories about Kardashian`s body and what headlines say about it reminds us how acceptable it has become to talk publicly about an individual woman`s appearance in terrible ways. So, Emma, I`m having a hard time understanding? Why it is that so many people think it is acceptable to make fun of Kim`s weight gain? Can you shed any light on that?
GRAY: I mean, I think that it`s a headline that`s going to sell a magazine, and that`s the main reason that they have to make these headlines so extreme, but I also think we just are unfortunately in a society where commenting on a woman`s body has become par for the course and because Kim is such a big figure in the entertainment industry, she is especially fair game.
HAMMER: Yeah, yeah, I mean we get it. She puts herself out there, she is fair game to any criticism, but I just feel like people aren`t paying attention to what they`re saying and the damage it can do.
GRAY: Yes.
GRAY: Not everybody, however, is agreeing with your blog and how you`re defending Kim, really in essence here. One reader wrote, Kim K. does and always will spend her time thinking about how she looks. I don`t feel sorry for Kim at all. She lives and breathes to have her picture taken, and to be in the spotlight and that`s exactly what she gets, so she should be happier than ever." OK. Let me bring in Jenny Hutt, Jenny is the host of "Just Jenny" on Sirius XM radio. Jenny, are you buying that argument at all? The logic seems a little flawed to me.
HUTT: Yeah, I mean I don`t think that she`s happy with the criticism, A.J., but I do think that there`s in a way fairness to talk about what she looks like because, of course, she is Kim Kardashian. But to go back to your point about why it seems acceptable to talk about a woman`s body or a woman`s weight, I think the fat body is just sort of one of the last acceptable bias or prejudices around, and it`s sad and it`s unfortunate, and as you know, I`ve been super overweight. So, I`ve been on the receiving end of that as well. It`s not fun. It`s incredibly unpleasant and some women when pregnant gain - just happen to gain much more than other women. It`s hormonal. It`s sort of like with our menstrual cycles, the same thing. Some of us, our weight fluctuates, some of us, it doesn`t.
HAMMER: Well, Jenny, I do appreciate your insight. Now, I really hope your piece grabs hold here and gets even more traction it`s getting, and people - well, at least back off. If not Kim, just the whole general idea of speaking about women`s way this way. Emma Gray, Jenny Hutt, thank you both.
HUTT: Thank you.
GRAY: Thank you.
HAMMER: All right. So, before we became obsessed with Kim Kardashian`s pregnancy playing out on TV, we were, of course, fixated by her epic wedding to Kris Humphries.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIM KARDASHIAN: Kris, I love you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I take you to be my wedded husband.
KARDASHIAN: I take you to be my wedded husband.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To have and to hold from this day forward.
KARDASHIAN: To have and to hold from this day forward.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Until death do us part.
KARDASHIAN: Until death do us apart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Oh, yes. It was the TV wedding of this century. Millions of people watching Kim marry Kris in a four-hour TV special. But you know, 30 years before Kim`s wedding, this was the wedding everybody was obsessed with. Luke and Laura, getting married on "General Hospital" more than 30 million people, myself included, were watching. This year "General Hospital" turned 50. In fact, today`s the day. April Fools` day, that brings us to number two on our SHOWBIZ Newsmakers countdown. The iconic actress who plays Laura, Genie Francis with me tonight in New York along with Kin Shriner, of course plays Scotty Baldwin, Laura`s husband on "General Hospital" before Luke was even in the picture. So great having you both here and happy anniversary.
GENIE FRANCIS, PLAYS LAURA SPENCER ON THE LEGENDARY SOAP,"GENERAL HOSPITAL.": Thank you so much.
KIN: Thank you.
FRANCIS: Nice to be here.
HAMMER: So Genie, it took Kim Kardashian`s real-life wedding to even give you guys a run for the money as the most popular TV wedding ever. But I mean, really. Can it even compare?
FRANCIS: Well, I think that it was a very, very special moment, one that I`m proud of. I mean it`s something that never happened before, or since on a soap opera. So I feel very luck to have had that ride.
HAMMER: I mean it`s amazing. You talk about all the iconic moments in soap opera history and it is one that will always be in everybody`s top five list. And it`s so great to be celebrating "General Hospital`s" 50th anniversary with you guys still going so strong at a time when, you know, as we know, so many soaps have sadly gone away. Do you think in any way that reality shows are killing off the soaps, Kin?
KIN SHRINER, PLAYS SCOTTY BALWIN ON THE LEGENDARY SOAP, "GENERAL HOSPITAL." You know, I don`t know. I don`t watch these things that don`t have writers and actors in it. So, you know ...
(LAUGHTER)
SHRINER: That`s - I don`t, I hope not. I hope reality doesn`t -- I hope it goes away.
HAMMER: Well, may be it could be the same (INAUDIBLE) ungracefully sets that perhaps, some people are thinking, we just learned that one reality star, Jay Woww from "Jersey Shore" is going to be starting that reboot of "One Life to Live" online. Let`s take a look at JWoww in action "Unscripted," on Jersey Shore.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, what are you doing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All of a sudden, Jenny starts coming at me. Throwing out the wig, throwing out the fake nails. Coming at you hard.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to punch me in the face?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He kicked me on the club.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get off me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn`t kick you out of the club.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to punch me in the face? Feels the same?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Yes. All right. I got to ask you Genie ...
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Just watching your face there, do you think that cast and reality stars like JWoww could be the way to save the soaps.
FRANCIS: Oh, boy. yes. You know -- I`m sorry. No comment.
HAMMER: Fair enough. Kin, you don`t watch them, so ...
SHRINER: I don`t watch them.
HAMMER: Well, it`s great having you back as Scotty Baldwin on "General Hospital", of course, Kin. Scotty was Laura`s first husband, we must remind everybody. And let`s watch you guys in action on the show as Scotty breaks in on Luke and Laura.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know you can tell me anything. Right?
FRANCIS: Yes, yes, of course. OK. OK, here goes. I -- I was in the metro ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Drama. Genie, could you ever have imagined that more than 30 years later you guys are still playing out this story line?
FRANCIS: Absolutely not. Never would have thought that`s how it would go. Never would have thought you`d keep showing that clip of the wedding.
(LAUGHTER)
HAMMER: Well, it`s amazing that people, you know, every time it shows up, I love how people always comment on it. They always have something to say about it. Kin, as I said, great having you back on the show.
SHRINER: Thank you.
HAMMER: And I understand, and I don`t know if you have any water there. You`re the king of the spit take, is that correct? Is that the reason your career is sustained longevity?
SHRINER: Well, yes. Spit takes that I have, been accused of a few spit takes. But some of the other actors do it, too. They do steal from me. The spit take. It`s a good bit. It never goes out of style.
HAMMER: Never goes out of style. Clearly, (ph) to you guys, and it`s just really such a pleasure now on having you here. Happy anniversary, Genie and Kin, thank you so much.
FRANCIS: Thank you.
HAMMER: And that brings us to number one. Our number one newsmaker on tonight`s "Countdown" it`s Donald.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP: Just keep going, Barbara. She looks great. She`s got tremendous stamina. She`s a great woman and she`s going to keep going.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Donald Trump`s plea to Barbara Walters. Why he never wants to see the legendary news woman retire. I`m going one-on-one with Trump. You`ve got to watch what else he told me today.
And you`ve got to see why another controversial star is at war tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING): Charlton Heston movies are no longer in demand. His immortal soul may forever in the sand. The angels wouldn`t take him up to heaven like he planned because they couldn`t pry that gun from this cold, dead hand.
What did he say?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jim Carrey, spoofing the late actor and gun activist Charlton Heston. Yeah, you got it. Now Carrey is getting slammed for it. The war of worlds that`s got a network pitted against the comedy giant. Who will come out on top.
And wait until you see what we named as our moment of SHOWBIZ Awesomeness.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back. Tonight on the SHOWBIZ Countdown we are counting down today`s top three big newsmakers. This is where we are so far. Coming in at number three, defending Kim Kardashian. "Huffington Post" associate editor Emma Gray turns the tables on the tabloids slamming critics of Kim Kardashian`s pregnancy weight gain and I say, right on. Number two, so great having the iconic soap stars Genie Francis and Kin Shriner here opening up to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about the 50 years of the legendary soap "General Hospital." It brings us to our number one SHOWBIZ newsmaker on our SHOWBIZ Countdown. It`s Donald Trump. I went one-on-one with Donald today after he fired Omarosa last night on the all-star "Celebrity Apprentice" and it`s not the first time he`s fired her.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: If I have my math correct, almost the first person you have fired three times?
TRUMP: Well, I guess she has been fired three times. That`s right.
HAMMER: Yeah.
TRUMP: And I think this time was actually probably her second best, because we can never forget number one, right?
HAMMER: No. We can never forget. In fact, I want to take a look at that right now. It was a whole different deal. We`re going to play that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me ask you a question, if I may.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Charles, I`ve worked for the last two weeks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Omarosa, I didn`t call for you yet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I have a ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Omarosa, go out and sell paintings or whatever the hell you`re doing.
I don`t like excuses. In this case, Omarosa has to go. You`re fired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, obviously, it was an entirely different thing. Nine years ago, she was crying. By the way, she busted into the boardroom that time, and you hadn`t invited her in. I`m guessing that doesn`t go over too well in the real world if somebody just walks into your office?
TRUMP: Well, it doesn`t, A.J., but she was terrific and we had a great evening last night. And she`s Omarosa. You know, she did a very good job. And people love her, hate her, but she`s Omarosa.
HAMMER: Well, what`s really clear, and what needs to see with you, you is that you really do have this great affection for her. It`s a much warmer, sort of embrace of her than we saw years ago.
TRUMP: Well, I think I understand Omarosa. And she`s actually a much different person than people see, but we had tremendous success together. You know, we had the number one show in all of television and she was a part of it, so I give her a lot of credit for that. But I really like her and it was her time to go, there was no question about it.
HAMMER: She told me last week that the villain is a character that she plays. It`s not really who she is. Getting to know her over the past few years I see that as well. But her fellow contestants don`t see that. What`s the real Omarosa here?
TRUMP: No, they don`t see that. And I would say that I would agree with you, but a lot of people disagree with both of us. They see her as an evil person. I don`t see that.
HAMMER: Well, in other news, I know you`ve been following very carefully Donald, the battle of the baby bumps between Kim Kardashian and Kate Middleton. I know weekly you`re getting your updates on how all that is going.
TRUMP: Right, on the weekly basis.
HAMMER: Yeah, I`m sure.
TRUMP: On a daily basis.
HAMMER: Well, Kim Kardashian is now registering for baby shower gifts. So, obviously, there is a little bit of controversy because some people say, oh, she has all this money. You know what is she doing asking for gifts? I`m sure you know a lot of friends with a lot of money who have babies. There`s nothing wrong with putting out for gifts even if you`ve got the cash, is there?
TRUMP: No, I don`t think there is. And she`s a nice person. And I`ve known her over the years and she`s really a nice person. And she`s gotten a little bit large. I would say this. I don`t think you should dress like you weigh 120 pounds.
HAMMER: Why not? But why not? She feels good about herself.
TRUMP: Well, I think that`s great. If she feels good about herself, A.J, do it Kim.
HAMMER: All right, that`s not such a big deal. And do you see Barbara Walters actually actually retiring? I know she`s a friend of yours for many years. And she`s going to want to retire at some point.
TRUMP: Well, she chose me as her top ten a couple of times already. And I don`t see her retire. I want to make it at least one more time before she retires. I don`t think she`s going to retire, she`s a special woman, she`s a great woman. Really a great woman, and she`s going to keep going. She`s in great shape.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Well, Barbara Walters spoke on the view today about these reports that she`s retiring saying, no announcement yet. You can catch "All Start Celebrity Apprentice" Sunday nights on NBC.
Now, I want you to brace yourself for Jim Carrey`s outrageous war with Fox News over a spoof of the late legendary actor and gun advocate Charlton Heston.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING): Cold dead hand, cold dead hands, cold dead hands. You`re a big, big man with a little bitty gland, so you need something bigger just to fill--
You make fun of everything I hold dear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But is Jim`s battle backfiring on him and wait until you see what we picked for a moment of SHOWBIZ Awesomeness today.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now to SHOWBIZ quick hits on big news breaking today. Jim Carrey goes to war with Fox News over a new anti-gun video that he posted on "Funny or Die".com. So, in the video he mocks the late Charlton Heston, who was president of the National Rifle Association. The video is called "Cold Dead Hand", which is a line, of course, Heston once famously used in a pro-gun speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARREY (SINGING): Charlton Heston movies are no longer in demand, his immortal soul may lay forever in the sand, the angels wouldn`t take him up to heaven like he planned because they couldn`t pry that gun from his cold dead hand.
What did he say?
It takes a cold dead hand ...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, so several Fox News pundits have been accusing Carrey of insulting Heston and all gun owners. "Inside Edition" correspondent Megan Alexander is with us tonight. So, Megan, what Jim Carrey just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about all of this, he said, "I would take them to task legally if I felt they were worth my time or that anyone with a brain in their head could actually fall for such irresponsible buffoonery. He also called Fox News "a media colostomy bag." But Megan, should he have even bothered to respond? I want your thoughts in 30 seconds or less.
ALEXANDER: OK, look, I`m and always will be a big Jim Carrey fan. "The Mask" one of my all-time favorites. He`s entitled to his opinion, A.J., but so is Fox News, and Fox News consistently gets high ratings and resonates with a large portion of Americans. So, Jim Carrey may alienate some of his fans by getting into a battle with Fox News. I don`t think you want to go there, but keep the conversation civil.
HAMMER: Yeah, and for some reason I think that Jim Carrey, he doesn`t really care what the upside of all of it is. Our next SHOWBIZ quick hit, the show`s called "Real Housewives," but maybe it should be called real ex- wives. Buzzfeed.com has just revealed that in terms of percentages, twice as many women on Bravo!`s "Real Housewives" shows get divorced at some point than the general population and on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" it is an astounding 71 percent., Megan. Any surprise there? The 30 second quick hit clock is ticking.
ALEXANDER: No, not at all. The "Housewives" franchise thrives on cat fights, tension and drama, A.J. So, no surprise that it`s taking a toll on their marriages. But who would have thought that the "New Jersey Housewives" had the highest percentage of the marriages that stay together? Table-sleeping women, I never would have thought that we would be admiring them for keeping their marriages together. I guess it`s those good old Italian catholic family values.
HAMMER: Yes, there is that. So, Megan, why is it tat the "Beverly Hills Housewives have the highest divorce rate among all the shows?
ALEXANDER: Well, A.J., look, these shows thrive on the cat fights and the tension and all the drama. Beverly Hills, a lot of money, a lot of fame. Close to Hollywood. That whole circle. So maybe that has something to do with it. A little more plastic than the other franchises.
HAMMER: A little more plastic, I was going to say. Maybe a little more surgeries than the other shows, I don`t know. And I`m not going to judge. All right, Megan. Great to see you. Thank you so much for beings with us on Quick Hits.
And now we move from your Quick Hits to your SHOWBIZ moment of Awesomeness. Tonight we`re getting a little help from the man of the moment, Justin Timberlake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Justin Timberlake just put his arm around me!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ah!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is pretty amazing. Justin is shocking 20 of his biggest fans ever. Get ready for the brand new behind-the-scenes footage of the fans who just got the ultimate shock. This is great. Well, it`s your moment of SHOWBIZ Awesomeness.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: It is time for SHOWBIZ Awesomeness. This is what we name the most awesome moment of the day. And tonight Justin Timberlake shocks 20 of his biggest fans. Now, they thought they were showing up to sing for a target ad. Well, they did, but they also got the surprise of their life. You`ve got to watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ah! [EXPLETIVE DELETED] oh, my -
(MUSIC)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh.
Hi. How are you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It`s pretty funny. If you think those fans seemed stunned while they were shooting the TV commercial? Listen to what they had to say about their wild encounter behind the scenes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Meeting an icon while you`re singing his songs that he wrote (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I loved him since I was 11. So, this was a really big deal to me. Yes.
He just like, put his arm around me! Ah!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh. Thank you, man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m going to cry.
Very nice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don`t cry. Don`t cry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Best moment in my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Hey, I imagine. I love that. Tomorrow on SHOWBIZ Tonight, I`m going to be speaking with one of the Justin Timberlake fans in that target ad, to find out what really happened behind the scenes. You should join us from that very special SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview tomorrow.
But coming up next on "DR. DREW ON CALL", is Jodi`s dad to blame? Did Mr. Arias set a poor example? Dr. Drew investigates right now.
END
