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Showbiz Tonight
How Did Ariel Castro Hang Himself?; Pop Stars Singing about Party Drug; Interview with Woman Whose Duet With Kristin Chenoweth Went Viral; The Naked Truth About Getting Busy 365 Days in a Row
Aired September 04, 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: Tonight, a "SHOWBIZ Countdown," "Ariel Castro Mysteries." He kidnapped and brutally raped three women while holding them for ten years. Now, he`s dead, found hanged in his cell. How could this happen?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE KNIGHT, KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR: The death penalty would be so much easier. You don`t deserve that. You deserve to spend life in prison.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So how will Castro`s death affect the women whose lives he tried to destroy? Tonight, SHOWBIZ investigates the biggest mysteries surrounding the death of a monster. Victims` advocate Marc Klaas is right here to share his perspective, after his own daughter`s murder led him to help others.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT starts right now.
Hello and thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer with my guest cohost tonight, Natasha Curry, who anchors "WEEKEND EXPRESS" every weekend right here on HLN.
The monster is dead, but of course, the mysteries have really just begun.
NATASHA CURRY, HLN ANCHOR: Yes, A.J. Tonight, the "SHOWBIZ Countdown." We`re counting down the top three mysteries surrounding the shocking suicide of Ariel Castro in prison.
ARIEL CASTRO, CONVICTED OF MULTIPLE CHARGES: Most of the sex that went on in the house, and probably all of it, was consensual. This -- this -- these allegations about being forceful on them, that is totally wrong. Because there was times that they would even ask me for sex, many times.
We had a lot of harmony going on in that home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURRY: Disgusting. That was that delusional monster just over a month ago, when he was sentenced to life plus 1,000 years in prison for keeping three women as his sex slaves in his Cleveland house for 10 unimaginable years.
HAMMER: Last night, of course, incredibly he was found hanging in his prison cell. Officials say he hanged himself with a bed sheet.
We are looking for answers to all the mysteries tonight with Marc Klaas, who`s in San Francisco. Marc is the founder for Klaas Kids. It`s a foundation for missing children and he created it after his 12-year-old daughter, Polly, was kidnapped by a stranger from their home and murdered.
Also with us, attorney Darren Kavinoky. He`s in Hollywood, and he is the host of "Deadly Sins" on Investigation Discovery.
I want to get right to it, gentlemen. We begin with No. 3. The No. 3 mystery in our countdown is this: How could this happen? I mean, think about it. Was he not under incredible security? Darren, help us understand. How in the world this guy, who was one of the most notorious criminals of our time, could just kill himself in what has to have been such an incredibly guarded prison cell?
DARREN KAVINOKY, HOST, INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY`S "DEADLY SINS": Well, he was under incredible scrutiny, as you mentioned, A.J., but he wasn`t on suicide watch. He was under what`s called protective custody. Meaning that he was isolated and kept away from other prisoners, but he was only checked on roughly every half hour or so. So he certainly had the opportunity to do this.
Although, if you`re a conspiracy theorist, you may wonder is this something he did himself or was there was foul play? Certainly, there`s going to be an investigation about every -- everything that feeds into his death.
HAMMER: Yes. We`ve heard a lot of those flying around today. OK, Marc, assuming for a moment that he did in fact, as it appears, hang himself. Had to figure out that time schedule with the guards. I have to imagine, you were pretty shocked to hear that Castro was able to pull this off?
MARC KLAAS, FOUNDER, KLAAS KIDS: Well, I think it`s a beautiful day, that Ariel Castro is dead. He obviously picked his moment very carefully. And I think the huge irony here is that he couldn`t take one month in captivity, while he held those women in captivity for more than a decade.
HAMMER: Isn`t that amazing? And as you mentioned there, Castro was in protective custody, so yes, he was checked on every 30 minutes. But his attorney is ticked off today and said today that prison officials should have known that this was going to happen, especially because a suicide note had been found in Castro`s home.
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CRAIG WEINTRAUB, CASTRO`S ATTORNEY: And if they did a forensic evaluation with him recently, then he should have been on a suicide watch. And there shouldn`t have been a watch every 30 minutes. There should have been someone outside of his cell more frequently.
And he has a history of suicidal ideations, so with the history of recent suicidal ideations, then there should have been a protocol set up for more frequent watches on his cell to prevent that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: But to your earlier point, Darren, that was not the case. So as a defense attorney, do you think that Castro`s lawyer is spot on there: prison officials could have done more?
KAVINOKY: Yes, he has a valid point, and I fully understand where Marc comes from and where so many people come from, that they love the idea that Ariel Castro is no longer with us. The court of public opinion has clearly spoken.
But, it`s an entirely different thing when we`re talking about the roles and responsibilities of prisons to care-take people that they know have mental problems.
Clearly, Ariel Castro is somebody with significant issues; had been suicidal in the past, and it`s the obligation of that prison to make sure that he doesn`t do exactly what he did. So, this could be a real problem for them.
HAMMER: But it is hard for anybody, perhaps, other than Castro`s lawyer to have any level of sympathy at all, if sympathy is even the right word, Natasha.
CURRY: Yes. And it just makes me think maybe those three girls will just rest better at night and be able to sleep better. I hope so.
Just something else also, in addition, to explain to his 6-year-old daughter that he had with Amanda Berry, one of those girls.
So A.J., that brings us to No. 2. The No. 2 mystery surrounding Ariel Castro`s shocking suicide: Was it really a suicide? The coroner certainly thinks so. Today he told CNN definitively that Castro hanged himself with a bed sheet. But Castro`s cousin told CNN`s "EARLY START" that she has questions about whether it really was suicide. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One of my initial thoughts was, did he really do this to himself? Or could possibly someone else have gotten to him? People always have an eye out for someone that has done something as horrible as these things that he`s done.
They say that suicide is a cowardly thing. And obviously, he took the coward`s way out. And I still really find it hard to believe that after everything that he did, that he somehow mustered up the strength or the so- called courage to take his own life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURRY: Yes, and Castro did take a plea deal to avoid the death penalty, which some people might say was a sign that he wanted to live, Marc. So what do you think?
KLAAS: Well, I think that -- I`m personally offended that anybody would try to frame Castro as a victim. He`s the bad guy in this. The girls, the people in the prison, the prison guards, they`re the good guys.
To think that somebody has to sit and watch this guy every second of his life for the rest of his life is a total absurdity. Sometimes justice plays out in ways that we don`t want and I think that`s exactly what happened here.
CURRY: Yes. And Darren, I see you shaking your head. Quickly, I know you, you had your -- you had your theory yourself, didn`t you?
KAVINOKY: I`m sorry, Natasha. Say that again?
CURRY: You had the whole theory yourself that somebody could have gotten to him?
KAVINOKY: Well, yes. No -- I mean, and clearly that`s something that takes place in prisons all the time. But ultimately, at the end of the day, the job of the justice system is to take all of the emotion out of it. There`s a reason that lady justice is depicted as a blind figure. She is not supposed to pay attention to the natural impulses that everyone feels toward Ariel Castro.
And yes, as much as it`s those girls that are the victim of the crimes that Ariel Castro committed, we as a society have an obligation to maintain the safety of people that are in our prisons.
And Marc, you may be offended by it, but that`s just the reality of what it is. I`m sure you`ll be much more offended when the prison system gets sued, possibly successfully over this thing.
CURRY: Well, Darren, you make a great point there, too, because they tried to revive Castro after they found him there unconscious. Castro`s crime, it was horrific. He abused his three kidnapping victims physically, emotionally and sexually, and he beat them so badly that they suffer suffered miscarriages.
And it seemed at the sentencing, it was just bizarre and plain disgusting. He tried blaming one of the girls for her own kidnapping. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CASTRO: She got in my vehicle without even knowing who I was. I don`t blame -- I`m not putting fault on her, but I`m saying, I am I`m trying to make the point that I`m not a violent predator that you`re trying to make me look like a monster. I`m not a monster.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CURRY: Just unbelievable that he would say that, Darren. Even though it was suicide, please, you know?
KAVINOKY: Well, yes. Ariel Castro is a monster. We can all agree on that. There`s no defending him in what he did. But the issue becomes, when we have these known monsters that are in our prisons; when we have people that are clearly mentally unstable, then we as a society have to deal with that and make sure that they`re going to be kept safe when they`re there. And sadly, sometimes that means keeping them safe from themselves.
CURRY: Yes, well guys, thank you, A.J., what are your thoughts on this? You think it -- somebody could have gotten to him?
HAMMER: Well, sure, and as has been put out there, it`s a theory that`s going to get floated around. As Darren said, these things do happen in prison.
But I think a lot of people are saying what Marc Klaas just told us a few moments ago. To a lot of people, it is a beautiful day. As odd as that ever sounds when somebody is dead. But this man was a monster.
Now in our SHOWBIZ COUNTDOWN, we`re down to the No. 1 mystery surrounding Ariel Castro`s suicide: What about the victims? These three women that he kidnapped. What do Castro`s three victims -- Amanda, Georgina and Michelle -- all think of his suicide? Stay right where you are.
And we move from mystery to inspiration tonight. Great story. Valerie Harper speaking up for the very first time about cancer and dancing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIE HARPER, ACTRESS: This death sentence made me look it in the eye and then, once you do, there`s a great freedom. It`s almost like, go now. Go to Naples.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Dancing dreams. Valerie Harper says brain cancer is not stopping her, so she`s going for the win in the upcoming season of "Dancing with the Stars." Why did she say yes to the show?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is just an incredible onstage stunner. This is Sarah Horn, who went from the audience to center stage, singing with the lovely Kristin Chenoweth. What is Sarah doing with our worldwide fame now? Well, Sarah is right here. She`ll spill the secrets of her success.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KNIGHT: I spent 11 years in hell. Now, your hell is just beginning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That was Michelle Knight, who spent 11 years being brutalized by Ariel Castro, finally addressing him at his sentencing hearing last month.
CURRY: Yes, and A.J., she understandably -- she seemed to relish the thought of Castro rotting away in prison for the rest of his life. But how do she and the other victims feel now today, that Castro is dead after apparently committing suicide in his jail cell?
HAMMER: Well, tonight in the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," we are counting down the top mysteries surrounding the suicide of kidnapper Ariel Castro.
And our No. 1 is this: What about the victims? Marc Klaas from the Klaas Kids Foundation for children is back with us from San Francisco. It`s great to have you here for your special insight, marc.
Sadly, your insight comes from personal experience. Your insight into this man who kidnapped and killed your 12-year-old daughter, Polly, back in 1993. And this guy has been on Death Row for the past 17 years.
So I have to ask. You said it earlier. You told me that it is a beautiful day now that Castro is dead. But, would you have preferred to see him suffer for the rest of his life in prison?
KLAAS: Well, he did suffer for the rest of his life in prison. It just was a lot shorter than anybody expected.
Let me give you my total perspective, based on my experience. The guy that murdered my daughter told a psychiatrist back in the late `70s that he likes to pleasure himself twice daily thinking about victims of his past crimes. That tells me that my daughter is being re-victimized every day that this character sits on Death Row.
Now, similarly, during his rambling statement on the first of August, Ariel Castro talked about the art of self-pleasure. So there`s no doubt in my mind, whether he was being watched every 30 minutes or if they had had somebody on him constantly, the images that were going through his mind were re-victimizations of those young ladies. So I think that everybody is better off with this guy dead.
HAMMER: Yes. Just so disgusting to imagine any of that.
An attorney for one of the kidnap victims told CNN that they won`t be making a statement. Some relatives, Marc, are saying that they`re going through mixed emotions today. And I imagine that doesn`t surprise you at all?
KLAAS: I wouldn`t be surprised at all. I mean, they were under his total and complete control for over a decade.
But I think when the air clears, they`ll realize -- they will realize that they`re much better off with him gone than with him here. I think that a real weight has been lifted from their shoulders by this experience. He can no longer influence their lives.
HAMMER: So, I`m curious how you would feel if you were in the same situation. Because the man who murdered your daughter is still alive. He`s on Death Row for 17 years. And you`ve just given us some insight into what is going on in this guy`s head.
If you got word that he had killed himself, I have to now believe that you would have felt intense relief?
KLAAS: I`ll be very happy when he`s dead. There`s absolutely no question of that at all. For the reasons that I mentioned earlier.
You know, as long as these guys are alive, A.J., they continue to have influence in one way or another. You look -- have to look no farther than Charles Manson to realize the pain that he must cause to the survivors of his crimes, simply by being alive.
Well, just multiply that by every person who`s got a convict living on Death Row, that murdered their family member. We need them to have these guys taken care of and gotten rid of. The sooner the better.
HAMMER: Mark, thank you for being with us tonight and thank you for all the continuing work you do for victims everywhere. Appreciate it.
KLAAS: Thank you, A.J.
HAMMER: All right. We move on now to what appears to be Hollywood`s newest obsession.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
GRAPHIC: So la da di da di, we like to party, dancing with Molly, doing whatever we want.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Miley Cyrus is just one of many music stars singing about the popular and dangerous party drug, Molly. Now, the obsession with the drug has turned deadly. "SHOWBIZ Investigates," coming up next.
Three hundred sixty-five days of sex? Well, a woman makes a pledge to do it every day and blog about it. Her name is Brittany Gibbons. She is the sex blogger (ph) I`m talking about. She is right here revealing her hot and heavy story.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
GRAPHIC: So la da di da di, we like to party, dancing with Molly, doing whatever we want.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Miley Cyrus`s song "We Can`t Stop" obviously a monster hit. It has gotten bigger since her controversial VMA performance. But even before her outrageous twerk fest, Miley was catching heat for the song`s lyrics that mention "dancing with Molly."
Molly is a popular and very dangerous party drug. Miley just one of a whole bunch of artists, Natasha, who have been mentioning Molly in their lyrics.
CURRY: Yes, and it seems like maybe the stars are just obsessed, but this obsession has turned deadly. Police in New York just launched an investigation into the deaths of two people at a huge concert event. The big question: Is it time for music stars to change their tune and leave Molly out of the mix?
Here`s CNN`s Kyung Lah for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At electronica music festivals recovering drug addict Louis Sabataso (ph) says what he`s seen is not just the D.J.`s name that`s known, but another one, Molly.
LOUIS SABATASO (PH), RECOVERING DRUG ADDICT: It`s just insane. Like, the amount of Ecstasy and Molly that is going around. It`s insane, everybody is doing it.
LAH: Ecstasy or MDMA, a stimulant and a psychedelic, is a rave drug from the `90s, once cut with everything from caffeine to speed. Today`s version, Molly. A powder form that pledges purity, now seeing a resurgence of popularity among a new generation.
Molly is also casually mentioned in pop music by singers like Kanye West and rapper Trinidad James. Miley Cyrus sings about "dancing with Molly."
CYRUS: La di da di, dancing with Molly.
LAH: But the drug with the approachable name took a deadly turn at this weekend`s Electric Zoo music festival in New York. Two concert goers died and at least four others were hospitalized for MDMA-related causes, say police.
Molly goes to another level as far as potency is concerned. It makes it extremely dangerous to the body. Because with MDA -- MDMA, it`s -- the body creates heat. This drug creates the body to overheat. And the more the body overheats, especially in these environments that are so hot to begin with, it can create death and heart attack. The body just fries.
LAH: Sabataso (ph) knows that all too well. He estimates he`s taken Ecstasy and Molly hundreds of times and has seen friends die from Molly.
He says he`s been clean for one year. He was once addicted to cocaine, heroin and alcohol. But it`s Molly that scares him the most.
SABATASO (ph): People don`t how they`re going to react to Molly. It`s the kind of drug that you don`t know -- I mean, if you`ve never taken it -- how you are going to react to it. And you could be one of those people that it`s going to kill immediately. Absolutely totally. So, in that respect, it`s far more dangerous than other drugs.
LAH: But showing no signs of losing favor with the young and glamorous.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CURRY: Yes. And A.J., I mean, I know the VMAs, just recently, I mean, they`re being a bit risque, but they`ve censored it out twice, talking about Molly references. So that was pretty admirable.
It`s pretty dangerous, so you can lace that stuff with anything.
HAMMER: So sad what happened over the weekend at that concert event.
All right. Let`s forget Molly for the moment. Personally, right now, I`m inspired with Valerie Harper`s inspiring story. Of course, she faced her brain cancer diagnosis with such courage. Now she`s getting set to dance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIE HARPER, ACTRESS: It will encourage people to move, get exercise, do all the things that are good for them and mainly, not sit in the house and glower and worry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Valerie reveals she`s competing on "Dancing with the Stars" and tells us what made her decide to go for it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is Sarah Horn stealing the spotlight. She was in the audience when a surprise duet with Kristin Chenoweth changed everything. How she`s handling her newfound fame. She`s right here to tell us about her amazing on-stage stunner.
This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
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HAMMER: Right now the "SHOWBIZ Countdown," today`s top contenders for 15 minutes of fame.
Sarah Horn has become an international sensation for having the chops to share the stage with the incomparable Kristin Chenoweth. Sarah is right here tonight to share her life-changing experience.
And how about this as a way to rocket to fame? Having sex every single day for a year and then blogging about every intimate detail? Nothing, and I mean nothing, is off limits. Brittany Gibbons is here with the naked truth about getting busy for 365 days.
So, singing or sex? Which will top the SHOWBIZ countdown? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Hello, and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer, so pleased to be joined by my guest co-host tonight, Natasha Curry, who anchors "Weekend Express" every weekend right here on HLN. Tonight, on the SHOWBIZ countdown, we are here to count down the top three people who are really enjoying 15 minutes of fame, Natasha.
CURRY: Yes, AJ, we are kicking it off with No. 3. Who could be a legend in the making, you never know. Can you imagine being plucked out of the audience to sing a duet, and not just any duet, but one from your favorite musical "Wicked," and with the only and only Kristin Chenoweth, who once starred in the Broadway show? That is exactly what happened to Sarah Horn here, during Kristin`s concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Watch.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Wow, did you see the stunned look on Kristin`s face? There she is, Sarah Horn, just singing your little heart out. Sarah is with me in Hollywood, it is so nice to have you here, Sarah.
SARAH HORN, SANG DUET WITH KRISTIN CHENOWETH: Great to be here.
HAMMER: Listen, this is pretty incredible. As of this afternoon, I just took a look, the video of you has been viewed nearly 3 million times on Youtube. I have got to believe that getting on that stage, at the Hollywood Bowl of all places and singing with your hero, had to be a dream come true. Give me a sense of exactly what that moment felt like?
HORN: Oh, so exhilarating. Just watching the video, I still partly cannot believe that happened to me. Things like this just do not happen to me. To be called up on stage with my idol.
HAMMER: Here is the deal. Kristin just pulled you up there, she had no idea that you are a voice teacher who actually has got chops like that. She just, as you said, calls people up on stage and has them sing along, and you are the one who got picked. Let`s watch some more.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: It`s just amazing to watch that, and from what I understand, you are normally a pretty shy person, that is something I find very hard to believe. Did you hesitate for even a moment when you had the opportunity?
HORN: I hesitated for a split second when I heard her call me up. Because I thought she was going to be looking for a plant in the audience. No, she was going to take the chance on a random audience member, and that happened to be me.
HAMMER: And how well that worked out. Listen, I adore Kristin, she is one of the nicest people in show business. I`m sure you got that energy from her up there. You could really tell, you could tell she was blown away. Your family was there at the concert and they were obviously blown away. I love the part of the recording when they were shooting that video of you, where you kind of hear all the giddiness and all their joy with you and Kristin on stage. Let`s watch that.
(MUSIC)
HORN: Oh, my God.
HAMMER: You hear them cheering you on as you sing away. And from what I know, you are going to be returning to the Hollywood Bowl this week and judging a singing competition? Are they going to let you get back up there and do some singing? I hope?
HORN: Yes, they are actually allowing me to sing there on purpose.
HAMMER: Fantastic. And where do you hope it all leads? Are you getting calls from agents and people who want to sign you up?
HORN: I hope it leads to a performing career. Because I feel like I was born to sing, and I really hope to (INAUDIBLE) another chance to sing with Kristin.
HAMMER: Well, Sarah, you were clearly born to sing, and we are so glad you shared your voice with us, and you joined us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Thank you so much.
HORN: Thank you so much for having me.
HAMMER: I mean, Natasha, imagine that. You are there at the Hollywood Bowl, by the way, the iconic stage, and you get called up and you sing with your hero.
CURRY: I know, it just gives me goose bumps. She was amazing, and the surprise on Kristin`s face, which is -- that was just priceless there.
I got a really unique love story I want to tell you about. It`s in the making, it is coming in at no. 2 on our SHOWBIZ countdown of the top three people enjoying 15 minutes of fame. 20-somethings Jessica Walsh and Timothy Goodman (ph) were tired of the dating scene in New York City, so they got together and vowed to date each other for 40 days straight, the amount of time it usually takes people to break their bad habits, and they started a daily blog about it. And they`ve gone crazy vital, 40 days of dating. Got to check it out. Jessica as she describes herself as a hopeless romantic, and Timothy says he is afraid of commitment and likes to date several ladies at the same time. Whoa! So their goal here is to help each other become better lovers. So, I got to ask, is this brilliant or bananas?
Let`s take it to Joyce Giraud in Hollywood, who stars in the NBC reality show, "Siberia." Hey, Joyce, these two long time friends, they set up rules to follow here, and I got to say the bar set pretty high, with rule No. 6, we will not see, date, hook up or have sex with anyone else.
Joyce, brilliant or bananas? What do you think?
JOYCE GIRAUD, SIBERIA: I think it`s brilliant, but I don`t know if Timothy will put up with it, considering he has commitment issues. It could be brilliant if it works, it`s fantastic, because then they are going to to marry their soulmates if they are best friends. But then if it does not work, they do have to establish rule No. 1, should have been, if it doesn`t work, we are still going to be friends after the fact.
CURRY: Right, that could get kind of tricky. And their latest blog too is about date 38, they flew to Disneyworld, and Jessica writes, "we took the magic express train to our hotel room. We unpacked, had sex, and got changed into our bathing suits."
Entertainment journalist, Hyla, also with us tonight in Hollywood. So, Hyla, blogging about sex, on day 38. Brilliant or bananas?
HYLA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Well, depends on who you ask. The audience, yes, I think it is brilliant. It`s brilliant for them too. Because first of all, sex should not be a taboo subject. So I appreciate the fact that they are doing this in such a public forum. And actually, they were blogging about sex way earlier, and it`s not really -- they are not giving us the details about sex, they are just saying they are having sex. I want to say, this is not like hard core revealing what is happening in the bedroom.
CURRY: So they`re doing the dirty but it`s not too dirty for you. So after they got to the hotel pool, Tim blogged, "we were sitting beside the pool and we started talking about her weight. How in the world I found myself in that conversation, I haven`t a clue. But I know there`s no way to get alive."
And I know there is no written rule about this, Joyce. Huge mistake, do you think, for Tim to ask Sarah about her weight right after they did the dirty?
GIRAUD: I think they should be blogging more about the sex than about the weight. And yes, it is a mistake for him to be asking her about the weight so fast. If they were blogging about the sex, it would be much more interesting and fascinating, so maybe they should go back to that and leave the weight aside.
CURRY: I am a bit of a prude, but I kind of want to hear a bit more. Don`t you? So quick prediction. Hyla, do you think they will stay together after the 40 days are over?
HYLA: You know, reading the entire blog, I think he is not into her like that long-term. They do want to data a little bit without the cameras and the constant blogging about it, which he will do and try, but at the end of the day, I just don`t see them sticking it out. They are going to get a big pay day here in Hollywood.
CURRY: And Joyce, quickly, what do you think?
GIRAUD: I think they should make a rule and establish that they will be friends after the dating. Because I don`t know if exposing this 40 dates will really work for them. So they should just make a rule that they will be good friends afterwards. But whatever they are doing with the blogging seems to work, because they are getting the notoriety they want.
CURRY: We`re talking about it. Joyce Giraud, Hyla, thank you so much, guys.
A.J., it just seems so weird. I had a lot of guy friends, and doing it with your friend, it just sounded oh.
(CROSSTALK)
HAMMER: Wait until their kids are reading about the sex on date 38 years from now. Terrific. Great social experiment.
CURRY: Dad!
HAMMER: It could implode. Well, this leaves us, Natasha, at no. 1 on our SHOWBIZ countdown of top 3 people enjoying their fame. You will be shocked to hear Huffington Post blogger, Brittany Gibbons, telling her story about why she vowed to have sex with her husband for 365 days in a row. Plus, this was some great news to get today. Months after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, Valerie Harper is going for the win on "Dancing with the Stars."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VALERIE HARPER: This death sentence made me look it in the eye, and then once you do, there`s a great freedom. It`s almost like, go to Naples.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, Valerie reveals how she is defying the odds and her plans to take home that trophy.
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HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Geico`s 15 minutes of fame. We are now at No. 1 on our SHOWBIZ countdown of the day`s top three people riding on 15 minutes of fame.
CURRY: Yes, AJ, and it`s a (INAUDIBLE). The woman who vowed to have sex for 365 days straight with her husband. Think about it. Every day for one year. Huffington Post blogger Brittany Gibbons decided it was time to put aside the excuses and get down to serious business to help reignite her marriage, and she did it. Did she ever. And blogged about it, and the blog went crazy viral. Brittany is with us tonight from Mexico, where she is on vacation.
Brittany, thanks for joining us. You got to know there`s a lot of working moms out there who are sitting at home right now shaking their heads saying there is just no way, with kids, work, you know -- three kids, how did you guys pull it off? That`s a lot of multi-tasking.
BRITTANY GIBBONS, BLOGGER: It is. I mean, I am not going to say it was easy, but it definitely made us get a little bit creative. And (INAUDIBLE). It definitely lasted longer than 15 minutes. I feel like I need to put that disclaimer out there.
CURRY: What was the hardest part of having sex every single day? Or is that kind of a silly question, I don`t know?
GIBBONS: It was not hard. I think it was difficult at first just because it was a lot of emotions that I dreaded having. The act was not the problem. It was that I was always really anxious and uncomfortable and I was insecure and I had a lot of fear associated with it. So the idea of having sex was something that I almost sort of -- it was a very heavy feeling for me. So that was part of the chore in the beginning, but then it sort of lightened up, and it became fun.
CURRY: You got more comfortable, that`s good to hear. So our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT producers did a little bit of digging, and they found that the average couple, under 30, does the dirty twice a week. So, over 30, only once a week. And so did it ever get to the point for you where it was just too much of a good thing? More work than fun? Or did you surprise yourself and say, we are going for ten times today?
GIBBONS: No, we did not go for ten times a day, but it became less work and it became more -- once I got out of my head and sort of got out of this sort of feeling of me not feeling comfortable in my skin, I began to pay attention for the first time in a long time. I learned what I liked, I learned what parts of me felt sexy, and it was a really fun learning experience that just happened to last 365 days.
CURRY: Very interesting. So it sounds like it did work. Did it get your sex life back on track? That was the whole goal, right?
GIBBONS: Actually, it was more about me in a selfish sort of way of really sort of taking charge about how I feel in my skin. I think we are responsible for our self-confidence and our strength and our body issues, and a large part of it was, you know, with my husband`s help, getting me to a place where I felt as sexy as he saw me. And that was important to me. And it really did not -- our marriage was never in trouble. It was never sort of like a (INAUDIBLE) thing, but it was definitely just an act of showing it respect.
CURRY: And now, with three kids, your sex life is a huge inspiration to so many people watching. I`m so glad that your experiment went well, and hats off to you and clothes off, too. Brittany Gibbons, thanks so much. AJ, she is my hero.
HAMMER: Good for her. Good for her husband. I`m just particularly enjoying the fact that you, Natasha, on our show said do the dirty. For some reason that struck me (INAUDIBLE). We move on now to the incredibly inspirational news today that after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, Valerie Harper is going to be going putting on those dazzling costumes, as she joins up with the cast of "Dancing with the Stars."
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HARPER: Get up there and show the people that you can dance, and do -- and your doctors say it`s fine, do exercise, you encourage people to move, to exercise, do all the things that will be good for them, and mainly not to sit in the house and glower and worry.
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HAMMER: I`m so happy for her. You are going to find out about the dramatic details of Valerie`s decision and her drive to win next. And wait until you see what we have named as our moment of SHOWBIZ awesomeness. It is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s a privilege and an honor to welcome Valerie Harper to our season 17 cast.
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HAMMER: A big shocker today that has a lot of people smiling. "Dancing with the Stars" revealing Valerie Harper will be competing on the show after being told earlier this year, she had terminal cancer and not long to live. Tonight, Valerie opens up to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT about how she is defying the odds and going for the big win. Natasha, I think this is such a great and incredible news.
CURRY: Isn`t it? AJ, Valerie is 74 years old, she was just told back in March that she has terminal brain cancer, and may only have months to life, and SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there today for her big announcement. Valerie tells our Nischelle Turner that she`s living life to the fullest while she has the chance.
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HARPER: I had neighbors calling and saying, should we bring over casseroles? It`s a funny thing we have about death. It`s not funny. It`s just fear, and we gloss it over and we pretend that it`s not happening, that it`s over there.
This death sentence made me look it in the eye, and then once you do, there`s a great freedom. It`s almost like, go to Naples.
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HAMMER: And how great does she look? I think the world is really about to see that she has plenty of fight left.
Entertainment journalist Hyla also back with us from Hollywood tonight. Hyla, this is great casting. But were you shocked as the rest of us to hear that Valerie is going to be competing on a notoriously grueling show like "Dancing with the stars?"
HYLA: I mean, you would like to think that her doctor signed off on this. Let`s hope it`s not the same doctor who also misdiagnosed her. But yes, anytime that a person can challenge themselves, mentally, physically, this show absolutely does that. I`m excited for her. And to see how far she can go on the show.
HAMMER: Yes, I don`t think that there was any hesitation for her once she found out about this. Joyce Giraud stars on NBC`s hot new reality series, "Siberia." Also with us from Hollywood tonight. Obviously, Joyce, very exciting news, even though yes, you are going to have a lot of her fans worried about her and the toll it could possibly take on her. But to Hyla`s point, hopefully she is getting doctor`s advice that yes, go ahead and do it. I think she`s going to do great. What about you?
GIRAUD: I`m excited for her, but I`m more worried for her. My mother had breast cancer, and she is a breast cancer survivor. I just don`t know if that is the right thing to do right when you are diagnosed with cancer. I don`t know, I feel for her and I`m a little bit nervous for her, but maybe it`s something she had on her bucket list to do, and it is something that the opportunity came up, and good for her if she wants to do it. But I`m really nervous for her.
HAMMER: I think psychologically, there was no way she could say no. What a chance to really live every moment. Some interesting casting, though, today. Another big surprise, was the news that Leah Remini will also be competing. Now, Leah has been making headlines after her stunning and outspoken departure from the Church of Scientology. And this morning on "Good Morning America," unlike her outspoken self, during the big "Dancing with the Stars" cast announcement, she was all buttoned up, her partner, dancing partner, Tony Devaloni (ph), had to do all the talking about what is to come this season. Look at this.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The game plan is to bring out her personality and have fun. I think she is an amazing, amazing person. I think when people get to know her, they are just going to want to keep voting, because she is going to work very hard to make everyone proud.
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HAMMER: Hyla, were you watching? She kind of had her lips sealed up there. Pretty out of character for her.
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HYLA: Where was this personality that Tony was talking about? Wasn`t that the opportunity for her to show it right there in that moment? It was nowhere to be found. So that was a little strange. I`m not as convinced as Tony is on what we can expect from her this season. The reality is, she is going to get a bunch of those Scientology questions. We may not see it on the show, but definitely on the red carpet before and after, so we`ll see how that plays out, if it affects her performance at all.
HAMMER: What do you think, Joyce?
GIRAUD: I for sure did not see that personality that I normally see, because normally she is louder than life, and I love that about her. But she did not have that personality there. So she has to bring that personality, because I think a show like "Dancing," more than the dancing, it`s about the personality and the audience falling in love with them so they can get the votes. She has to bring the personality out.
HAMMER: Tony will bring it out of her. All right, Hyla, Joyce, thank you both so much. And make sure you catch "Siberia" Monday nights on NBC.
Back to Valerie, Natasha, for a moment, one of the things she said which I thought was terrific is, when life tells you to dance, you got to dance.
CURRY: She has such a great attitude, she is so inspiring, and the great thing about "Dancing with the Stars," they give you somebody to root for. So we`ll be definitely rooting for her, AJ.
HAMMER: And perhaps it will be Valerie, but for whomever it is, it will be an incredible honor for the winner to raise that trophy high above their head. But what about this? It is a down-home country tribute to one of reality TV`s biggest stars. We will tell you who it is and what this is, coming up.
Time for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. This is what the SHOWBIZ staff is buzzing all about. Can`t wait to get our groove on with Ellen DeGeneres. Her show is returning for season 11 on Monday. "The Returned" by Jason Mott is being called a brilliant and beautiful new novel. It`s so good, in fact, that it is going to be a TV movie on ABC next year.
We are so ready for football. What about you? NFL, back on Thursday with the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens taking on the Broncos. Reality star Tamar Braxton has a new solo album out, called "Love and War." Can`t get enough of that. And you better hurry for this spectacular treat, "Star Trek Into Darkness" and "World War Z" is a double feature in theaters until tomorrow.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get back in your car right now! Remain with your vehicles!
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HAMMER: Time for SHOWBIZ awesomeness, when we reveal the most awesome story of the day. And tonight, it`s the ultimate "Duck Dynasty" tribute.
CURRY: Uncle Sy (ph) is the most memorable member of the Robertson clan, for his unique quotes, let`s say. Now he and one of those quotes have been immortalized in a corn maze. Check it out. It`s the must-see attraction at the annual corndog`s corn may (ph) celebration in Logansville, Georgia. It`s a humongous maze featuring Sy in all of his bearded glory. Along with his quote, "hey, Jack."
HAMMER: See that?
CURRY: Love it, A.J.
HAMMER: It is unbelievable. The popularity of the show confounds even the so-called experts. Something like 11 million people tuned in for the season premiere episode. That is astonishing.
CURRY: It`s a hilarious show, I love watching it.
HAMMER: I actually think I am going to grow that beard like Sy.
CURRY: You would look good.
HAMMER: I don`t think so. Thank you so much for watching. I`m AJ Hammer in New York. You can catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT every Monday through Thursday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. HLN continues right now.
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