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Showbiz Tonight
Chad Johnson Apologizes for Disrespecting Court; Celebrity Chef`s Husband Cautioned by Police for Alleged Choking Incident; Trayvon`s Dad Working to Honor His Legacy; Melissa Etheridge: Angelina Jolie`s Double Mastectomy Not `Brave`; Miss Utah Strives for Redemption; Teen Criticized for Riding Whale Shark; Guinea Pig Armor Incites Bidding War>
Aired June 18, 2013 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RYAN SMITH, HLN ANCHOR: ... he did that night, which was to follow Trayvon Martin.
VINNIE POLITAN, HLN ANCHOR: All right. That`s it for "HLN AFTER DARK." Great job by the jury and our experts. Thanks so much.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Well, tonight we are firing up two amazing "SHOWBIZ Countdowns." First up, "SHOWBIZ Justice Shockers." And Chad`s big apology for his courtroom butt slap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHAD JOHNSON, FORMER NFL STAR: Again, I just want to apologize for disrespecting your courtroom at that time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Former NFL star Chad Johnson out of jail, but disturbing photos of his battered ex are revealed, reviving memories of the domestic fight last year that landed him in court in the first place.
Plus get ready for the "SHOWBIZ Buzz Makers" countdown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I`m wondering if anything can top that. The teenager who took a joyride on a 50,000-pound endangered whale shark. The outrage is bigger than that beast he`s riding.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
Hello I`m A.J. Hammer in Hollywood tonight. Thank you so much for watching.
And we will get to the outrage over that whale rider in our top three "Buzz Makers" countdown in just a bit. I am ticked off about that guy.
But first tonight, it`s "SHOWBIZ Justice." We are here to count down the top three legal stories that really wowed us today.
Let`s kick it off with No. 3. Stunning new revelations about Chad Johnson, who is fresh out of jail after he butt-slapped his attorney in court and enraged the judge, who then tossed out a plea deal and tossed him in jail for 30 days.
The judge`s decision set off a massive chain reaction of outrage. Now, a lot of people were saying the judge went too far. Others were saying Chad had it coming.
Well, a week later Johnson apologized and actually thanked the judge. The judge set him free, but not before revealing for the very first time exactly why she reacted so strongly.
And that`s not all. Just revealed today, disturbing photos of his battered ex-wife more than a year after the incident that landed him in court in the first place.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER (voice-over): So did Johnson finally get the wakeup call he needed? Could it be that going to jail for slapping his attorney`s ass was enough to make Chad Johnson vow to stop acting like one?
JOHNSON: I`ve learned my lesson.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, fresh from being released from jail a week after slapping his attorney on the behind in a Florida courtroom, the ex- football and reality show star told "Good Morning America" this morning he`s glad the judge came down so hard on him.
JOHNSON: I think the judge was able to do something many people have tried to get me to do for a long time. To slow down.
HAMMER: The new contrite Chad is a big change from the old disrespectful Chad we saw in court last week. He was excused of violating the probation he got for domestic violence against his then-wife, "Basketball Wives" star Evelyn Lozada.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) your attorney?
HAMMER: Acting like he was still on the football field in court last week, he tapped his attorney on the behind.
KATHLEEN MCHUGH, JUDGE: You have any questions? Do you have questions for him?
HAMMER: This morning on "Good Morning America," Chad and his attorney said it was no big deal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chad and I are very close. And it`s just the way that he communicated and thanked me.
HAMMER: But Judge Kathleen McHugh obviously thought otherwise.
MCHUGH: I don`t know that you`re taking this whole thing seriously.
HAMMER: She ordered Chad locked up for 30 days. After spending a week in jail, Chad returned to court Monday and apologized.
JOHNSON: I just wanted to apologize for disrespecting your courtroom.
HAMMER: The judge accepted his apology, but then did her own countdown: the top three reasons why she threw the book at Chad. Reason No. 3, his probation violation.
MCHUGH: You failed to report for three consecutive months while you were on probation.
HAMMER: Reason No. 2, his past behavior in her court, even before the butt slapping.
MCHUGH: You came up, stood next to the prosecutor, and put your arm around her.
HAMMER: And then reason No. 1: the offense that landed Chad in the court in the first place.
MCHUGH: Mr. Johnson, you pled guilty to head butting your wife. You slit her face open, causing a three-inch gash that required eight stitches.
HAMMER: Today TMZ posted these pictures of a cut and bleeding Evelyn Lozada taken soon after last year`s attack.
MCHUGH: If a picture is worth a thousand words, I only had one word that came after I reviewed the photographs of her injuries, and that word would be "horrific."
HAMMER: Chad`s arrest for that assault may have cost him his football career. A day later he was cut from the Miami Dolphins in front of cameras for the HBO show "Hard Knocks."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I just think it`s best for both of us to kind of part ways at this point.
HAMMER: Today on "Good Morning America," Johnson reflected on all his antics have cost him.
JOHNSON: I lost two of the things in the life I love the most. Football and my now then beautiful -- beautiful ex-wife.
HAMMER: He`s promising he won`t forget the lesson. So in the end, the butt-slapping incident may have been the slap Chad Johnson needed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: What a huge hit for him.
The judge may have let Johnson out of jail, but he`s definitely not off the hook. She extended Chad`s probation through October.
Entertainment journalist Tony Potts is joining me in Hollywood. And in New York, "Inside Edition" correspondent Megan Alexander is with us.
So look, a lot of people accuse the judge of overreacting when she threw Chad in jail for the butt slap. But Megan, now that sentence is actually looking pretty justified now that we`ve actually heard from the judge, don`t you think?
MEGAN ALEXANDER, "INSIDE EDITION": Absolutely. What a difference a week makes, A.J. The judge had more details, I think, than all the media did and all the chatter that was going on about this story.
You know, A.J., bottom line, one in four women victims of domestic violence. That`s what this case was all about. You`ve got to show respect in the courtroom. And I think a lesson has been learned here. A very contrite Chad Ochocinco after this week in jail.
HAMMER: Gosh, I hope it`s the real deal, though, Tony. I mean, he lost his wife. He lost the love of his life, football, the real love of his life. Do you believe him when Chad says he`s turned over a new leaf?
TONY POTTS, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Chad has said this before about other issues on and off the field, so I don`t know. The proof is in the pudding.
But when you put your arm around the prosecutor, that`s just the wrong thing to do. I think the judge was very just in doing that. Time will tell if he will -- if he`ll turn over a new leaf. I know he also has financial problems, as well, as a result of all of this. So his life is in turmoil.
HAMMER: Talk about a guy who at one moment had it all and now it`s...
POTTS: Gone in the blink of an eye.
HAMMER: ... downhill.
All right. Well, there`s another celebrity couple and another alleged case of domestic violence I`ve got to talk about tonight. This is No. 2 in our "SHOWBIZ Justice" countdown.
Wow. The husband of celebrity chef Nigella Lawson is blowing off an alleged choking incident as no big deal, even as he accepts a police warning for it.
Now, British papers are going nuts over these photos. Lawson`s husband, multi-millionaire art collector Charles Saatchi, with his hand around her throat during an apparent argument at a London restaurant.
Now, today Saatchi was issued what`s called a caution from London police. It`s kind of a warning that`s issued for minor crimes there.
Nigella`s husband calls the argument a playful tiff and says he accepted the police caution to put the matter to rest. Megan, I`m guessing this does not put the matter to rest for you and so many other people today.
ALEXANDER: No. Once again, A.J., domestic violence, something that we need to take seriously.
Probably the most disturbing part of the story was that the husband in the beginning said this was a playful tiff. No. This needs to be taken seriously.
And I think a lot of times we think that these celebrities that are rich and famous are immune to domestic violence. You know, so many articles out that this only effects lower-income families. Not true. Not true at all. It affects all of us. All women, all men too.
So you know, he`s heeding this warning, if you will, which will affect him if he`s ever in trouble later in court. It`s got to be taken seriously.
HAMMER: You`ve got to wonder what this guy was thinking. In a restaurant. I mean, shouldn`t do it at all. He`s in a public place thinking this is OK.
And we haven`t heard from her. Nigella hasn`t said anything about the incident so far.
Her husband does admit there was an argument, but listen to this. This blows my mind, how he explains it to "The Evening Standard." This is what he said: "I held Nigella`s neck repeatedly while attempting to emphasize my point. There was no grip. It was a playful tiff. Nigella`s tears were because we both hate arguing, not because she had been hurt."
OK. So he`s blowing off the whole thing as if there`s ever an acceptable reason to grab someone`s neck during an argument.
ALEXANDER: Right.
HAMMER: Tony, what do you make of that explanation? Are you kidding me?
POTTS: No. It`s a bunch of crap. It`s horrible. Because if you look at the actual pictures, she`s shaken. When she walks from the restaurant, those photos, as well, she`s shaken.
Not to make light of it, but the only time I ever put my hands on my wife`s neck is to give her a massage.
HAMMER: Yes.
POTTS: And you can tell by this, no, that`s not what`s happening there. You just don`t do that. It`s an outrage, and it should be.
HAMMER: I mean, Megan, when you hear that explanation, do you think he really believes what he`s saying? This is nuts to me.
ALEXANDER: No. I think this was someone caught in the act, and he knows it. And again, the important conversation here, A.J., is that we`re talking about it because so many people are affected by it. We cannot make light of this anymore.
HAMMER: All right. Tony, Megan, thank you both so much for chiming in on this tonight.
Our "SHOWBIZ Justice" countdown continues with dramatic Trayvon Martin revelations to HLN`s own Vinnie Politan. This is so fascinating to me. You`ve got to hear this.
Vinnie is joining me to reveal exactly how Trayvon Martin`s dad, Tracy Martin, feels now that George Zimmerman is standing trial for killing his son. You definitely do not want to miss this.
Also we`re getting ready for another amazing "SHOWBIZ Countdown" tonight. It`s "SHOWBIZ Buzz Makers." What`s going on with this? Melissa Etheridge calling Angelina Jolie`s decision to have a preventive double mastectomy fearful and not brave? Did the iconic singer and cancer survivor just cross the line there? A lot of controversy about this. It`s making huge buzz today.
But even more buzz than Miss Utah`s big second chance after that epic Miss USA flub she made?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARISSA POWELL, MISS UTAH, MISS USA PAGEANT: I think especially the men are seen as the leaders of this, and so we need to try to figure out how to create education better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Miss Utah getting another shot at nailing the question that she botched so badly during the Miss USA pageant. Did she bring it this time? Will she top our countdown of today`s buzziest stories that are breaking today?
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back.
Tonight in the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," it`s "SHOWBIZ Justice." We have been counting down the top three legal shockers that are shaking up things in Hollywood and beyond tonight.
No. 3, former NFL star Chad Johnson is a free man after spending just a week in jail for butt-slapping his attorney in court. In the meantime, disturbing photos of his battered ex-wife were just revealed today more than a year after the incident that landed him in court in the first place.
No. 2, a TV chef`s disturbing public argument. Nigella Lawson`s husband was caught on camera, and it looked like he was choking her during an altercation at a restaurant. Well, the man believed to be her husband turned himself into police in London and was issued a warning.
That takes us to our big reveal of what is No. 1 in our "SHOWBIZ Justice" countdown. Brand-new revelations tonight from Trayvon Martin`s father. Tracy Martin makes haunting new comments about what the George Zimmerman trial means to him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRACY MARTIN, TRAYVON`S FATHER: It`s not OK for vigilantes to kill our kids and get away with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This was an emotional and wide-ranging interview with HLN`s "AFTER DARK" host Vinnie Politan. Trayvon`s father speaking very candidly about this trial that has the nation transfixed.
Vinnie joining me right now from Atlanta with a look at this revealing interview. It`s a two-night event right here on HLN.
And I`ve got to know, Vinnie: when you had this opportunity to sit down with Trayvon`s father, Tracy, what were your expectations? Anger, grief? What did you think you were going to get from this man?
POLITAN: I didn`t know. I didn`t know. I know there was heartbreak, because the first time I spoke to him a few weeks after Trayvon was shot and killed, I saw it then. And I was really curious about the change, because his life has changed so much. And going from losing your son and now you become a public figure. And you are out there; and you are speaking; and you are looking for justice; and people are recognizing you. Your life is transformed.
And if you ask Tracy Martin, he`d rather go back to what his life was like when it was much more simple. When he was a dad with a son named Trayvon. And that life, he`ll never get back. But this new life, I think he`s still working through it. And that`s the tough part.
HAMMER: Yes. Who wouldn`t want to start all over again?
Of course, everybody has an opinion about what the outcome of this trial will mean, which of course, is why we`re all so interested in it.
But Tracy Martin says he has one end goal for his family. I want to look at what Trayvon`s dad told you about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POLITAN: Getting justice, clearing my son`s name up, protecting his legacy, not letting his name continuously be drug through the mud, not letting his name be in vain, not letting his death be in vain. And most of all, just this case is to me says that it`s not OK for -- it`s not OK for vigilantes to kill our kids and get away with it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. It`s unimaginable to me what he`s going through. And of course, we`ve already seen, Vinnie, cases where Trayvon`s reputation has come into question. Do you think that the Martin family will be able to protect Trayvon`s legacy, whether you know, they win or lose in this case?
POLITAN: I think they can. I really do. Because they are such strong advocates. And, you know, a lot of people saying a lot of things on social media. And it hurts. It hurts Tracy Martin to hear he`s already lost his son. His son cannot get up and speak for himself. So Tracy Martin feels he has to do that for his son now.
And throughout this interview, that was the absolute No. 1 main theme: "I want to clear my son`s name." And you think of the irony. This is a criminal case, where his son is the alleged victim, yet he feels he needs to clear his son`s name.
HAMMER: Well, Vinnie, thank you so much for bringing us this important, important interview.
And you can see more of Vinnie Politan`s fascinating chat with Trayvon Martin`s father, Tracy, on "HLN AFTER DARK" tomorrow night. Thursday night, as well, at 10 p.m. Eastern.
Well, now from "Justice Shockers" to this shocking -- and I think totally bone-headed -- move to hitch a ride on a 30-foot whale shark. Really?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once in a lifetime, baby!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, I mean, what was this kid thinking? Will the fierce outrage over this teenager`s joyride on a 50,000 pound endangered beast top our countdown of today`s buzziest stories?
Plus the troubled former child star Amanda Bynes lashing out at HLN`s own Dr. Drew. It`s a Amanda`s brand-new Twitter war that Drew is refusing to engage in. Next up, we have Drew`s response to angry Amanda.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
Here comes the "SHOWBIZ Buzz List," what the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff is buzzing about.
Britney Spears` single "Ooh La La" from the brand-new "Smurfs 2" movie just dropped today. It is smurfy.
The long-awaited sequel to the sensational best-seller "The Devil Wears Prada" is ready for your tablet. It`s called "Revenge Wears Prada," the perfect summer read.
We`re buzzing about this amazing photography exhibit, Rough Around the Edges. Hip-hop`s biggest stars, shot in a way you`ve probably never seen them before by Jonathan Mannion.
And I love this app. The Grocery IQ app. It`s free. It lets you create your grocery list just by scanning the exact products you buy.
The monsters are here. Pixar`s latest animation extravaganza, "Monsters University," in theaters Friday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN GOODMAN, VOICE: What were you doing? Were you kissing my hand?
BILLY CRYSTAL, VOICE: I didn`t want to deal with all your shedding.
GOODMAN: I don`t shed.
CRYSTAL: Really?
Just wait. I`m going to scare circles around you this year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, it`s a "SHOWBIZ Showdown" that hits really close to home.
It seems like every other day Amanda Bynes is getting into some kind of Twitter feud with another celebrity. Well, this time she`s got HLN`s own Dr. Drew square in her crosshairs.
Dr. Drew just sent what he thought was a supportive message to Amanda, but she didn`t see it that way. She fired back a Twitter missile at Drew. And instead of getting angry, of course, Dr. Drew apologized for upsetting her.
Take a look at Dr. Drew, talking about the whole incident with his behavior bureau on "DR. DREW ON CALL" here on HLN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DREW PINSKY, HLN ANCHOR: This weekend, I ended up on the receiving end of angry Amanda, and I want to explain how it starred. Not that anybody -- I just want to explain it.
I have been receiving lots of tweets from people asking me to help Amanda Bynes. I mean, really, like hundreds and hundreds and hundreds. And I was sitting there Saturday morning thinking, "Look. People seem to have a misunderstanding. She lives 3,000 miles away from me. I don`t have a license to practice medicine in New York. It`s not exactly ethical to intrude into somebody`s life. I don`t know this young lady."
So I -- and these tweets were getting more aggressive Saturday morning. Like how dare I not go help her? So I thought I needed to say something. So here`s what I tweeted on Saturday morning. I thought I was being supportive to Amanda.
I said, "I think it`s time to leave her alone. She will get help if she wants it and if she needs it. Hopefully before serious consequences." I meant to say, you know, if she wants it, she`ll get it. If not, hopefully she doesn`t hurt herself. God bless her. We need to leave her alone.
But then she tweeted -- Samantha, you`ll love this. About an hour later, "What are you talking about" -- no that`s not it. No, no, no, no. No, no, no. That`s not it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s the ugly one.
PINSKY: The other one, the other picture. It`s "What are you talking about? What kind of help?" There it is. Below me there. "What kind of help are you referring to? You`re ugly and I want you to leave me alone."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Well, Drew went on to say that he`s starting to wonder if Amanda might just kind of be acting up to grab for the headlines.
He`s not the first to ask that question. The whole Twitterverse seems to be questioning Amanda`s motives today. So we`ve got entertainment journalist Tony Potts right here with me to weigh in.
And Tony, I don`t know about you, but this all makes me think about when Joaquin Phoenix hoaxed everybody, wearing that wild beard and claiming he was going to become a rapper just so he could promote his brother-in-law`s documentary.
POTTS: That`s not this.
HAMMER: You don`t think that`s what`s going on here?
POTTS: No. I think she`s Twitter smart and Twitter crazy. Which works well. She has over two million followers, so she just tweeted that she just got a nose job. Lord knows what she`s going to do next.
So I think she`s very smart. But she`s also -- this is a real-time off- the-rails-on-social-media celebrity. And we`re seeing it happen. And I`m a little nervous for her. I remember back in the day of the "Hairspray" premiere, and she loved her grandparents and was talking about all that stuff.
HAMMER: Yes.
POTTS: Where are they now? The parents live not far from here, in Thousand Oaks, California, so where`s the family?
HAMMER: She seemed so level-headed. I don`t know what`s going on, but maybe people will start ignoring all of that.
POTTS: It might work. You never know.
HAMMER: Tony, great to see you. Thanks so much.
So while Amanda Bynes is either spinning out of control or hoaxing all of us, Miss Utah trying to save her tarnished reputation after that epic flub during the Miss USA contest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POWELL: I think especially the men are seen as the leaders of this and so we need to try to figure out how to create education better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You said it. Miss Utah got her big shot at redemption today. Did she get it right this time? Will her face-saving move top our countdown of today`s biggest buzz-making stories?
Plus your knight in shining armor? I`m going the show you why this bizarre guinea pig suit of armor is causing an epic bidding war on eBay. It`s your moment of awesomeness.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," "SHOWBIZ Buzz Makers." Did Melissa Etheridge just slam Angelina? Melissa Etheridge is calling Angelina Jolie`s choice to have a preventative double mastectomy fearful, not brave. Was Melissa way out of line? And does her controversial remark top this?
It`s Miss Utah`s shot at redemption. The young pageant contestant may have flubbed herself out of a Miss USA crown, but today she got a chance to save her reputation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POWELL: I think especially the men are seen as the leaders of this, and so we need to try to figure out how to create education better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: No. Will Miss Utah be redeemed? Is that enough to top our countdown of today`s biggest buzz-making stories?
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in Hollywood tonight.
And Tonight on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," it`s today`s top three "SHOWBIZ Buzz Makers." Let`s fire it up, shall we?
In AT No. 3, slamming Angelina? Well, rock legend and cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge has taken on Angelina Jolie`s decision to have a preventive double mastectomy.
She gave a brand-new interview to the "Washington Blade," and in it, Melissa Etheridge is quoted as saying this about Angelina Jolie`s stunning decision. She says, "I wouldn`t call it the brave choice. I actually think it`s the most fearful choice you can make when confronting anything with cancer. My belief is that cancer comes from inside you and so much of it has to do with the environment of your body. It`s the stress that will turn that gene on or not."
Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out to Melissa Etheridge about those controversial comments. Here`s what she told us: "I don`t have any opinion of what she should have done. All are free to choose. I only objected to the term `brave` describing it."
Well, still tonight there is growing outrage over Melissa`s candor. Did she cross the line? With me from New York, I`m going to bring in Megan Alexander, a correspondent for "Inside Edition."
Megan, what do you think? Melissa is pulling no punches there. She`s just straightly answering a question. She, of course, survived breast cancer. She`s been cancer free for years. Is she in any way wrong to say Angelina`s decision wasn`t brave?
ALEXANDER: You know, this is such a sensitive topic, A.J., and such a deeply personal decision for each woman. It`s a great reminder that every story is different, every diagnosis is different. You have to educate yourself and make the best choice for you.
I think this comes across a little bit harsh, because I like to see women supporting each other, encouraging each other on, especially with a topic like breast cancer. So I think it came across a little harsh in the beginning.
But it`s important that, you know, the conversation is Melissa Etheridge made one choice that was right for her. Angelina Jolie made another choice. But I`d like to see us encourage each other a little better.
HAMMER: Well, you know, even if it came across as harsh, I have to believe that wasn`t Melissa`s intention.
But let me bring in entertainment journalist Kelly Carter, who`s in Atlanta tonight. Kelly, I actually think Melissa was simply calling it like she sees it from her own experience, from her own perspective. But a whole lot of people -- I mean, if you look online today, you have so many people saying she was out of line. What do you think?
KELLY CARTER, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: I think logically what Melissa said makes sense. You know, she was really responding to a term that has been used to describe Angelina`s choice for doing the double mastectomy.
But emotionally -- emotionally it sounds extremely insensitive, especially when you factor in the fact that Angelina lost her own mother from the same disease and her aunt also suffered from it, as well. And so I think that`s what a lot of people were probably responding to.
Moreover, it`s a personal choice. It`s one that Angelina made. And I think that, you know, I agree. Women, we should support one another when we do things like this.
HAMMER: Well, no surprise: Angelina`s fiance, Brad Pitt, is standing by his woman. Watch what Brad just told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT last night at the New York premiere for his new film "World War Z."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NISCHELLE TURNER, HLN CORRESPONDENT: How do you feel about her as a woman now that she has made this decision?
BRAD PITT, ACTOR: She`s, you know, a brave bold individual that I fell for in the beginning. And sexy as ever. That`s what I tell you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARTER: Love it.
HAMMER: So Megan, let me just toss -- let me just toss this out. If Angelina is happy with the decision she made, and Brad is supporting her, does it really matter what Melissa Etheridge or anyone thinks about her choice?
ALEXANDER: No. That`s all that matters, exactly. And every woman for themselves needs to make the best decision.
CARTER: Absolutely. I agree with that.
HAMMER: Let`s move on with our countdown tonight. To beauty queen redemption. Yes, this is No. 2 on tonight`s "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of the day`s top three "Buzz Makers." Miss Utah getting a shot at making good after, well, quite frankly really botching her answer at the Miss USA pageant on Sunday night. Let`s revisit how all that went down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POWELL: I think we can relate this back to education and how we are continuing to try to strive to figure out how to create jobs right now. That is the biggest problem. And I think especially the men are seen as the leaders of this and so we need to try to figure out how to create education better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. We, as men, are the leaders of this. With that moment -- or whatever she meant. Miss Utah at that very moment became a viral sensation. Look, it`s a tough business being a beauty queen.
Now, this morning, on "The Today Show," Matt Lauer gave her a chance to redeem herself. Let`s see how she made out there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT LAUER, CO-HOST, NBC`S "THE TODAY SHOW": You`re 21 years old. It`s only your third pageant at that stage, at that level. And it had to be one of those moments you just wished you could have dug a hole and crawled in it for a second.
POWELL: I did.
LAUER: Can I give you a second chance at the question?
POWELL: Please.
LAUER: All right. Here was the question: A recent report shows that in 40 percent of American families with children, women are the primary earners, yet they continue to earn less than men. What does this say about society?
POWELL: So this is not OK. It needs to be equal pay for equal work. And it`s hard enough already to earn a living, and it shouldn`t be harder just because you`re a woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. I think she pulled it off this time. I think she knew the question was coming.
Now, Megan, I know you just spoke to Miss Utah. I know you gave her the same chance to redeem herself. First of all, tell me, did she give you the exact same answer she gave Matt Lauer?
ALEXANDER: She did not. A.J., I like everybody else was watching this clip. And I thought no, no. She`s not giving this horrible answer.
Let me tell you: I met Marissa Powell. I met her mother, Shannon. Marissa was mortified; burst into tears after the pageant. She`s a nice, sweet girl, who says, "Look, I froze. It was stage fright."
And A.J., a good reminder that the No. 1 fear of most Americans, not spiders, not death. Public speaking.
HAMMER: I think people should be more afraid of spiders.
ALEXANDER: I think she`s owning it pretty good.
HAMMER: Let me ask you, Megan, because you spent this time with her, and you say she was mortified.
ALEXANDER: Yes.
HAMMER: So is she really upset by it or is she now at the point where she`s kind of laughing it off and saying, "Hey, look, it happened to me"? And by the way, was she comparing herself in any way to the young beauty queen who gave us the "such as and Iraq and so forth"?
ALEXANDER: Miss South Carolina in the Miss Teen USA pageant. No, she`s still pretty timid and still pretty embarrassed that this happened and wanting to just go away and hide. But you know what? She`s also saying, "Hey, I`m going to turn my lemons into lemonade." She`s excited to be going on "Jimmy Kimmel." She`s making the most of it, but I will say, she -- it rattled her.
HAMMER: OK. Well, it rattled her, and as she freaked out, she has to be aware of the fact that we`re all on here. Look, it`s fun TV. We`re all on here playing it over and over. Is she able to even develop a thick skin about that? Because I actually feel a little badly for her, but it is entertaining television.
ALEXANDER: I do too. And she shared with me that, in that moment when she was giving that answer, her mother said to her father, "This is going to be on YouTube" as she`s giving that answer. So the family knew this was going to be a big deal. She avoided her cell phone for a few hours after the show.
HAMMER: Yes. YouTube. If only just YouTube.
Now Kelly, Miss Utah says, "Hey, you know what? I was confused by the question." As Megan just pointed out, she shared with Megan that she had stage fright. Should they just do away with questions altogether? I mean, it`s a beauty pageant, for goodness sake.
CARTER: No.
HAMMER: Or do you think Trump wants to keep them in there for this very reason, so now we`re here talking about the thing?
CARTER: No. Look, look, to quote "Miss Congeniality," it is a scholarship competition.
ALEXANDER: Yes.
CARTER: No, no. The truth is -- the truth is, and let`s be honest here, A.J.: We are a nation of haters. We watch these insanely beautiful women who look fantastic in a bikini who also are educated and are literate. So we don`t even have that up on them.
We kind of wait for these moments like that so we can say, "Oh, God. OK. So they`re human too. They get things like stage fright." And we can move on and kind of laugh a little bit about it and maybe boost our own self- esteem.
ALEXANDER: And we cheer for them when they move forward.
CARTER: Exactly. Exactly.
HAMMER: Miss Utah, though, is getting a whole lot more buzz than Miss Connecticut, who actually won this thing.
CARTER: Right.
HAMMER: Could this actually be the best thing that happened to Miss Utah? Is she seeing it in any way like that?
ALEXANDER: Yes, no. We had that conversation. And she says, "Hey, I`m just going to enjoy these experiences now." She does feel badly that nobody really seems to want to talk to Miss USA. She likes Erin; they were friends. Again she`s just going to make the most of it and just have fun at this point.
HAMMER: Well, really, what else the heck can she do? I mean, honest to goodness.
ALEXANDER: Sweet girl. Nice girl.
HAMMER: Yes. OK. Well, that`s good to know.
All right. Our countdown is continuing now with the whale-shark-riding teenager. That`s correct. I said "whale-shark-riding teenager." Why in the world did this teen think it was in any way OK to take a joyride on a 50,000-pound endangered beast?
Megan, Kelly stay right there, because we`re going to get right to this.
This is also making huge buzz tonight. I`m talking about a very different kind of knight in shining armor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The guinea pig in the suit of armor is named Lucky. Lucky`s owner, Sean McCoy, decided to auction off his guinea pig`s armor on eBay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And that will enable you to transform your exercise-wheel- turning guinea pig into something a whole lot more regal. It`s the brand- new eBay bidding war over this bizarre guinea pig armor. How much would you pay for it? Get ready for our moment of SHOWBIZ awesomeness.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back. We are counting down the top three "Buzz Makers." Here`s where we are so far.
In at No. 3, slamming Angelina? Well, Grammy-Award-winning singer and cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge is calling Angelina`s choice to have a preventative double mastectomy a fearful choice in a brand-new interview.
In at No. 2, a stumbling Miss Utah gets a shot at redemption after botching her answer during the Miss USA pageant.
That leads us to No. 1 on the "SHOWBIZ Countdown" of the top three This story is so wild. I need you to imagine for a moment hitching a ride on the back of a 30-foot whale shark. That`s just what this guy did, 19-year- old Chris Kreis. It was in Florida, and as you see, it was all caught on tape.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once in a lifetime, baby!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my gosh.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Wow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Where I sit, that isn`t really awesome. That doesn`t in any way describe this incredibly dumb move.
Megan Alexander is a correspondent with "Inside Edition" and in New York tonight. Now Megan, I know you just spoke with this kid. I`ve seen some pretty crazy things in my life. I think this one falls squarely under the heading of stupid and irresponsible. Does he even get how wrong this was?
ALEXANDER: In my conversation with him, it`s important to know his father is the one filming. His father was there with him. His parents have raised him around the ocean. He respects nature, loves nature.
I think this was a classic moment, A.J., of man involved with nature, man in the wild. He saw his moment to be up close and personal with nature. He took it.
He was quick to inform me that he in no way was harming these gentle giants, whale sharks. As you mentioned, 30 feet, 50,000 pounds. He was the one in danger, not the whale shark. He probably won`t do it again. But this was his moment. He had to enjoy it.
HAMMER: I don`t know. I don`t know. I mean, I hear you saying that he in no way was doing something irresponsible with nature. And I tell you that Jeff Corwin would disagree with that. I`m going to get to that in a second.
But first Chris told CNN`s Piers Morgan last night that the reason he wasn`t scared was because he knew exactly what he was doing. Let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS KREIS, CAUGHT ON TAPE RIDING WHALE SHARK: I`ve been around sharks for many years. I`ve dove [SIC] with bull sharks and very aggressive sharks. And I know that whale sharks are -- they`re harmless creatures. Their size might be frightening except they eat plankton and they eat small little organisms. So I wasn`t scared at all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So the thing wasn`t going to eat him.
Let me bring in entertainment journalist Kelly Carter, who`s standing by in Atlanta. Kelly, I have to tell you, again, I`m amazed by this kid`s pure ignorance about this, because I do think -- I do think he was acting completely irresponsible if not for himself for this beast. Do you have any doubt that he would do it again if he had the chance? Megan says he wouldn`t.
CARTER: Well, I don`t know. In this kind of world of instant fame, maybe not. I mean, it`s gotten so many YouTube views, and it`s obviously getting him a lot of high-profile interviews.
And I`m certainly not suggesting that that`s why he did this, but I think that once you kind of see the aftermath of something like this, it kind of -- I mean, there`s a little bit -- there`s a sexiness to it, and you kind of get excited about that.
That said, what was this kid thinking? I don`t care if the whale shark is only vegetarian, only eats small organisms. What if this is the time that he was hungry for a bigger snack? I don`t know.
HAMMER: So again, let me just tell you. The thing that`s of the greatest concern to me as an animal lover and to so many people, is the fact that, at least according to one expert, he put this whale shark at risk. I want you to listen very carefully to what Jeff Corwin, who of course, hosts ABC`s "Ocean Mysteries," had to say about how the whale shark may have fared in what I think is a ridiculous feat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF CORWIN, HOST, ABC`S "OCEAN MYSTERIES": Intense contact with sharks can actually be incredibly stressful for these animals.
They have a very thin almost like slimy layer, mucous layer on their skin. And when that rubs off, it actually can expose them to bacteria.
I, myself, think you need to be really careful around these creatures, because they`re vulnerable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So Megan, you say he`ll never do it again. I`m going to really hope that is the truth and he never, ever does anything like this again, and nobody follows his lead.
Megan Alexander, Kelly Carter, we`ll leave it there. Thank you both so much.
And get ready for an A-list "SHOWBIZ on Location" one-on-one tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: You don`t have Angelina with you tonight. How`s she doing?
PITT: She`s doing great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You`ve got to hear what Brad Pitt`s telling us about Angelina`s recovery and her brave life after her preventative double mastectomy.
Plus wait until what we named as our "Moment of SHOWBIZ Awesomeness."
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m scared.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do we know they`re coming?
PITT: They`re coming. Ready?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Daddy!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: "World War Z" will be unleashed in theaters this Friday. Brad Pitt attempts to save the world in this apocalyptic thrill ride. With no cape, no super powers, just good old-fashioned grit. And a heck of a lot of things blowing up.
Right now "SHOWBIZ on Location" with Brad Pitt. Brad was the star of the red carpet at the New York premiere for "World War Z." But everybody was also expecting his better half, Angelina Jolie, to join him, as well. There have been lots of sightings of the two side-by-side at Brad`s other premieres throughout the promotion of this film.
Angie wasn`t there, but he did open up to us about Angelina`s recovery since her double mastectomy. Oh, yes. Brad also revealed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner what it`s like to take out a bunch of zombies in "World War Z."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: So "World War Z" is definitely a popcorn movie. It has all the makings, summer blockbuster, big-budget movie. But you`ve said, "I`m not a superhero. I don`t have any special powers. I`m just a day trying to save his family."
PITT: Can`t even run fast. You know? Doesn`t bode well. But yes, I like that about him.
It`s just -- it`s just -- I mean, as the film starts out, every day, any day. And dealing with the normal problems of traffic and, you know, is your coffee warm, and getting to where you want to get to on time. And suddenly, everything they know is turned upside-down. And everything they thought was important, most things were rendered useless. Then they`re running for their lives.
TURNER: Is the message, then, that we all have a little bit of a superhero inside of us, then?
PITT: I don`t -- I didn`t really think about message. Just thought about, you know, let`s do the most intense thing that we can do and put in some really good scares. And people are having so much fun. It`s fun for me. Really good fun.
TURNER: You don`t have Angelina here with you tonight. How`s she doing?
PITT: She`s doing great. She`s got -- she`s prepping for a refugee day. And she`s minding the little ones right now and then heading out.
TURNER: One of the things she said when she announced that, you know, her health crisis was that she wanted to expand the conversation about health and women and she didn`t want women to feel any less feminine if they made the decision.
PITT: Yes, yes.
TURNER: How do you feel about her as a woman now that she has made this decision?
PITT: Well, she`s, you know, a brave, bold individual that I fell for in the beginning. And sexy as ever.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Not surprising but always nice to hear such great support from Brad.
And some early reviews are in on Brad`s movie from two very important critics. Brad telling "Entertainment Weekly" that his two oldest sons, 11- year-old Maddox and 8-year-old Pax, loved "World War Z." Really, what`s more important than that?
OK. Get ready for a pig in shining armor?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: The guinea pig in the suit of armor is named lucky. Lucky`s owner, Sean McCoy, decided to auction off his guinea pig`s armor on eBay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Just when you thought you`d seen everything, there`s this. And I`m going to show you why that suit of armor, handmade for a guinea pig, is sparking a four-figure bidding war on eBay. It is your "SHOWBIZ Moment of Awesomeness."
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Time for "SHOWBIZ Awesomeness," where we name the most awesome story of the day. And tonight is it perhaps your time to give your guinea pig the royal treatment?
If you thought you`d seen just about everything that`s for sale on eBay, well, here`s a new one. A full suit of armor custom made for your guinea pig. You can make your favorite wheel-spinning, water-bottle-slurping fur ball into a noble knight.
Here to explain, CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MOOS: He`s not really suited to go up against Braveheart, but the knight in shining armor in this story is a guinea pig, more likely to go against his owner`s wiener dog.
SEAN MCCOY, LUCKY`S OWNER: Be nice.
MOOS: The guinea pig in the suit of armor is named Lucky. But his luck ran out earlier this month when he died of natural causes.
MCCOY: I took a nap; he took a nap. I woke up; he didn`t.
MOOS: Lucky`s owner, Sean McCoy, decided to auction off his guinea pig`s armor on eBay, with the proceeds going to an organization that helps guinea pigs find homes in the Washington, D.C.-Virginia area.
It had taken Sean weeks to weave the stainless-steel scales.
MCCOY: You should have seen the blisters on my hands from these two pairs of pliers. It`s horrible.
MOOS: The eBay description reads, "Is your pet guinea pig tired of wandering around the house unarmored and vulnerable? Has your guinea pig ever wanted to go with you to a Renaissance Faire but had nothing to wear?"
Turns out Sean bought the helmet at a Renaissance Faire.
MCCOY: I`m really perfect for Lucky. It`s like guinea-pig-size.
MOOS (on camera): Some have suggested Lucky should have been buried in his noble suit of armor.
(voice-over): It wasn`t exactly Lucky`s favorite thing.
MCCOY: He hated it. He absolutely hated the armor. It`s pretty big and pretty heavy.
MOOS: Actually he`d worn it only once for about ten minutes while Sean took these photos. He kept fidgeting and squeaking and then suddenly stood still in a perfect pose.
MCCOY: The reason he was fidgeting is because he had to go to the bathroom. And the reason that he stood still is because he was going to the bathroom. That`s his finest moment.
MOOS: Though Lucky wasn`t much of a swordsman, a fan on the Web site Reddit, sketched him ready to do battle. Bids on his suit of armor jumped from $400 to over $800 in hours and continue to climb.
So what if Sean has to put up with jokes?
MCCOY: Did you have a guinea pig jousting tournament?
MOOS: The closest Lucky came to jousting was fighting his bars.
MCCOY: He was a special guy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I love that. That`s CNN`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And you can still get in on the bidding for the suit of armor on eBay until June 21. It`s already well above 1,000 bucks.
Well, next on "DR. DREW ON CALL," a major announcement from the Jodi Arias jurors. They`re talking to Dr. Drew about that and what it means for the next phase of Jodi`s sentencing.
DR. DREW PINSKY, HOST, "DR. DREW ON CALL": Tonight, Jodi Arias jurors make a major announcement right here.
END
