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Showbiz Tonight
Best, Worst of Golden Globe Dresses; `12 Years a Slave` Nabs Record- Setting Win; Tina Fey and Amy Poehler: First Ladies of Comedy
Aired January 13, 2014 - 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: Right now, SHOWBIZ at the Golden Globes. It`s deja vu for Jennifer Lawrence. She wins her second golden statue in a row. But it`s her Dior gown that made everyone do a double take on social media.
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have become the undisputed queens of the Golden Globes, and now we`re looking at the duo`s long road to golden domination.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMY POEHLER, ACTRESS/COMEDIAN: My name is Amy, and my number is 506-1GA.
Oh, my God! That was a secluded area!
TINA FEY, ACTRESS/COMEDIAN: Darlene, it was a Popeye`s Chicken!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SBT goes inside Tina and Amy`s rise from improv wannabes to Hollywood leading ladies. SBT starts right now.
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from Hollywood. And I had such a blast today. I can barely wait to get in here and show you how social media world has gone globalistic over the Golden Globes. I`m talking some totally over-the-top stuff.
Jennifer Lawrence won that Golden Globe, Best Supporting Actress for her amazing turn in "American Hustle," but it`s the dress she wore that launched all kinds of memes, and gifs, and who knows what else. A lot of people tweeting today that J. Law`s Dior gown kind of reminded them of this, "The Little Mermaid." You remember that dress that Ariel made of a sail and rope?
We have only just begun. I`m so happy that Kym Whitley is with me. We love her on "Raising Whitley," her show. This is a reality show on Oprah`s OWN network. It`s one of the network`s biggest hits. The new season is under way.
Also with me is Thea Andrews, who co-hosts "The Insider." Thea at the Globes last night.
And also at the Globes last night was "Extra" host Mario Lopez, who joins us from Universal Studios.
Great to see you all. And can we get rolling here by taking a look at Mario and Thea on the red carpet? I saw, actually, a picture of you, Thea, last night. You look stunning. I mean, come on.
THEA ANDREWS, CO-HOST, "THE INSIDER": Thank you.
HAMMER: Mario, you handsome devil, you.
MARIO LOPEZ, HOST, "EXTRA": I agree. I agree. Thea knows I love her, and Thea, you did look stunning last night. She seems to get hotter the older she gets. So I can`t wait to see her next year.
ANDREWS: Mario and I are old friends. By the way, as did you, honey. You looked fabulous last night.
HAMMER: All right. Enough gushing.
LOPEZ: Listen. On the red carpet. The big thing. A.J., the big thing on the red carpet, there was a sewage pipe that bursted, that really got things off to that sort of start, to sort of set the tone. And then things just took a turn for the better, fortunately, afterwards.
But it ended up being a beautiful day out here. Obviously, got to see all the big stars that you just mentioned. But I think for the most part, especially the pregnant mamas were looking hot: Kerry Washington, Drew Barrymore, Olivia Wilde, it was always nice to see them out.
HAMMER: It`s funny, because I heard Mario on TV earlier today talking the sewage spill. And he said, "Yes, we got it cleaned up." Like he had anything to do. He was out there with a mop.
Let`s get back to J. Law`s dress for a second. And Kym, let me ask you this. I don`t get what the fuss was about and the nastiness on line. I mean, I expect to see haters after any awards show. I just thought she looked spectacular. What do I know from fashion? But what do you think?
KYM WHITLEY, REALITY TV STAR: She looked beautiful. A young girl, and she can pull that off. I mean, but she is kind of sending a message. Any time you see her at the awards shows lately, she always has on the "I want to get married" dress.
ANDREWS: You think?
WHITLEY: Always a big, white, flowing dress. I don`t know if she`s trying to send a message. So I think she looks lovely. But she always has this big, white, fluffy fantasy dress.
ANDREWS: I`m not sure about that. I think the message is that she`s the face of Dior, and she gets probably paid very well to wear whatever dress they tell her to wear, right?
I think it`s never a good thing when your dress is being compared to toilet paper. Having said that, she`s such a beautiful girl. And the thing that I love about the fact that this has caused such a buzz on the Internet, is that you know that she`s probably laughing harder than anybody. She probably loves this more than anyone. She probably thinks it`s great, because that`s the sense of humor she has.
HAMMER: And listen. She`s very happy to stay at home in her PJs on the couch. So of course, she`s going to get dressed up to the nines. And Dior is the people she works for.
WHITLEY: And she looks -- and she looks wonderful. I mean, everyone`s talking about her. I`m still -- has anyone called and checked on Jacqueline Bisset?
HAMMER: We`re going to get to her. She may still be talking. I`m not exactly sure.
I do want to talk a bit more about J. Law`s dress. Because out on social media today, plenty of tribute. Oh, I have to show you this one. This is from Colton Haynes. He`s the star of "Arrow" and "Teen Wolf." He put his J. Law tribute on Instagram. I don`t know how he did this, their cat wearing J. Law`s dress.
Mario, you saw it up close. You were right there with her. What did you think of it? And I know it`s hard to say something bad, but I thought it was spectacular.
WHITLEY: It was lovely.
LOPEZ: Well, I think when you`re tall and beautiful, and you just won back-to-back Globes, people are going to try to find anything to pick on you. She`d look good in a paper sack to me. And I think people are just trying to have fun with it. And she does have a great attitude. She doesn`t take herself seriously. She takes her work, obviously, very seriously.
But, you know, that`s the thing about social media. A lot of keyboard gangsters. And people just like to blow things out of proportion. But there were some other dresses that I -- people shall remain nameless right now that I thought were far worse. Let me just say that.
HAMMER: You have to be politically correct when you do what we do, Mario.
WHITLEY: You do?
HAMMER: Let`s get on now to what some are calling the -- well, yes. Politicians. We`re running into these people all the time. Thea can tell you. You know, sometimes, we withhold our opinion. Yes.
ANDREWS: Well, sometimes, usually not. We really just throw it out there. I thought she looked great, actually. I think this really highlights the issue that some people are looking for fashion and some people are looking to look hot. You know, in our newsroom, it was divided by all the women thought that her dress was fabulous and spectacular and very fashiony. And all the guys were like, "She doesn`t look hot. Show some cleavage."
WHITLEY: If I was in that dress it would be a problem. OK? She looked beautiful in that dress She`s small. She`s young. She had a short haircut. Not to bring up. But other people had on the dress with the big thing on the side. And then they had the long hair next to her. It looked like a giant tissue box.
ANDREWS: Brillo pad.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about our hosts for the night. OK. Some people are calling this the joke of the night at the Golden Globes. Tina Fey`s intro of presenter Leonardo DiCaprio, and it was fantastic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEY: And now, like a supermodel`s vagina, let`s all give a warm welcome to Leonardo DiCaprio.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Mario, my friend, out to you. It`s funny because it`s true.
LOPEZ: Well, it definitely brought the house down. And DiCaprio gave -- gave a thumb`s up, because he thought it was funny. And ironically, he brought his mom, not one of his supermodel dates to the show. But incredibly funny. I love the line, too, when they described "Gravity," about George Clooney rather being in space and floating off and dying than spending another minute with a woman his own age. That was, I thought, one of the better zingers, too.
There were a lot of great moments. The girls were fantastic, I thought, back to back in years hosting. And if it was up to me, they should host all the shows together.
HAMMER: Yes, no kidding. I`m glad that they`re already on board for next year.
Back to the Leo joke for a second, because as I was going through stuff online today, I saw big thumbs up on Twitter. I loved this one from a guy named Casey: "I clapped when she said that. Tina Fey, one. DiCaprio, zero."
Rick Trotter, some people know him as the arena announcer for the NBA`s Memphis Grizzlies. He tweeted, "Tina Fey`s DiCaprio intro was funnier than the first four episodes of Golden Globe Award winning Best Comedy, `Brooklyn Nine-Nine`."
WHITLEY: Really?
HAMMER: It was a lot of fun. A lot of people hadn`t heard of that show.
WHITLEY: I have to give it up for the girls, because they committed. It didn`t matter. To be able to say a joke like that, you have to really commit. And they committed to the joke. They didn`t waiver. And they hit it out of the ballpark.
HAMMER: And they did it without being mean. That`s what they set out to do. and I really appreciate that.
OK. You brought up Jacqueline Bisset before.
WHITLEY: Please.
HAMMER: Let`s talk about this. A lot of people said -- a lot of people this was the most bizarre moment of the night. A sort of long and strange acceptance speech when she won for Best Supporting TV Actress for her role in "Dancing on the Edge." Let`s revisit some of it, shall we?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACQUELINE BISSET, GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER:, BEST SUPPORTING TV ACTRESS: God. OK. Scottish background to the front. OK.
I said like my mother -- what did she say? She used to say, go to hell or don`t come back. However, however, however -- if you want to look good you`ve got to forgive everybody. You have to forgive everybody. It`s the best beauty treatment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, you just can`t plan stuff like this. It was so spectacular. Social media, still has people scratching their heads. Buzzfeed TV`s Jace Lacob tweeted this, "Somewhere, Jacqueline Bisset is still giving her acceptance speech."
I love this one, actually. Shauna tweeted, "My neighbor`s burglar alarm went off last night and is still going. I`ve nicknamed it Jacqueline Bisset."
Thea, look, that`s what makes the Golden Globes, the Golden Globes. I actually believe what she said, she was a little nervous and she was a little hungry. Everybody wanted to say, oh, she was drinking. But look, she was stunned. Literally stunned.
ANDREWS: OK, this is the reason why we prepare your speeches, people. Prepare. If you need to put them in notes, do it. You want to stick it in your dress somewhere, do it. Because this was a really, really awkward moment.
I was at the show, by the way. And in the house, everybody was saying, I don`t know if you noticed that it seemed like a lot of the other speeches were getting wrapped really quickly. People were saying that it was because Jacqueline`s whole -- all those shenanigans took five minutes. I haven`t actually timed it myself, but it apparently took so much time that they had to wrap other people early.
WHITLEY: It took her 30 minutes to get up there.
HAMMER: Listen, the show still ended on time. I honestly don`t know how they do it.
All right, guys. So great having you all here.
You`re going to stick around. Thea, always great to see you.
ANDREWS: Thank you.
HAMMER: Mario, have fun out there at Universal. It`s good to see you, my friend.
ANDREWS: Bye, Mario.
LOPEZ: Thanks a lot, buddy. Nice talking to you again.
HAMMER: All right. Listen, I think Amy and Tina have truly raised the bar so high, they may just have to host the Golden Globes forever, as people are suggesting. They`ve won the hearts of everyone in Hollywood. But it has been a long, hard road to fame for them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POEHLER: I am Amy. My number is 506-1GA.
Oh, my God. That was a secluded area.
FEY: Darlene, it was a Popeye`s Chicken.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SBT going inside Tina Fey and Amy Poehler`s rise from improv wannabes to Hollywood leading ladies.
Meanwhile, "12 Years a Slave" takes the night`s top honor.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNNY DEPP, ACTOR: And the Golden Globe award goes to "12 Years a Slave."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes, the gut-wrenching slave drama also made history because the it`s the first Golden Globes win by an African-American director. Jay Huguley, who co-stars in "12 Years a Slave" is right here. He`s talking about the historic win and, now, the road to the Oscars.
This is SBT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY HUGULEY, ACTOR: Look me in the eye. On your life, you answer me truthfully. Have you any other name than Platt?
CHIWETEL EJIOFOR, ACTOR: Solomon Northrup is my name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What`s all this?
HUGULEY: It`s official business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (EXPLETIVE DELETED) my business.
HUGULEY: Your business waits.
Tell me of your family.
EJIOFOR: I have a wife, two children.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the hell?
HUGULEY: What are your children`s names?
EJIOFOR: Margaret and Alonzo.
HUGULEY: What of your wife`s name before her marriage?
EJIOFOR: Anne Hampton. I am who I say.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That`s Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jay Huguley in "12 Years a Slave." It got the biggest honor at the Golden Globes. Named Best Motion Picture, Drama. And with me in Hollywood is Jay Huguley.
I watched your face just broaden to a smile...
HUGULEY: Yes.
HAMMER: ... when I mentioned that win. Congratulations.
HUGULEY: I`m very, very proud of that movie.
HAMMER: I can`t even imagine how you feel today, coming off a big victory like that. Let`s watch the moment again when Johnny Depp presented the Best Picture in the drama category. And this is what happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEPP: And the Golden Globe award goes to "12 Years a Slave."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: I mean, look at everybody smiling there. I know you were at home in your PJs watching on the couch. But take me back to what happened in your mind. Because obviously, you were one of the favorites going into the night last night. It was not a shoo-in that you guys would take this category.
HUGULEY: No, it wasn`t. And you know, I -- I thought there were going to be earlier wins that night. And there weren`t. So -- but then I thought they got the greatest prize of all. So it`s sort of a win for everybody.
HAMMER: So somebody who`s in the one of the biggest movies of the year, take me inside your home. You`re there. I don`t know. Are you -- you`ve got a bowl of popcorn in your lap? Who do you call? Do you jump off the couch? Do you jump up and down?
HUGULEY: I got calls and texts and e-mails from everybody in the world. It was really, really exciting.
HAMMER: How thrilling that must be.
HUGULEY: Yes.
HAMMER: And obviously well-deserved for such a terrific movie. I want to watch some more.
HUGULEY: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do I upset the master and the mistress? Do you care less about my loss than their well-being?
EJIOFOR: Mr. Ford is a decent man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is a slaver.
EJIOFOR: Under the circumstances.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Under the circumstances, he`s a slaver. Will you suckle at his boots? You luxuriate in his favor.
EJIOFOR: I survive. I will not fall into despair. I will offer up my talents to Master Ford. I will keep myself hearty until freedom is opportune.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: So, so powerful.
Listen, you`ve been acting for a long time. You`ve been in this game for quite a while. So I know you get different vibes when you work on different projects. But on set, working on this, did you know and really feel in your bones it was something special, or was it really, you know, you`re kind of just doing your job?
HUGULEY: No, I mean, I knew it was something special when I read the script. I never read anything like it before. I never read anything so, you know, it just told the truth. You know, I never read any sort of -- a slavery account like this.
And then working on it was -- you know, you get there and you have all these talented people. You`ve got Steve McQueen and Michael Fassbender, Chiwetel, and it`s relaxing to work with such a talented team. So it`s exciting.
HAMMER: It`s amazing. It`s hard to imagine an experience like that being relaxing. For an actor, when you`re supported by everybody who`s so good at what they do...
HUGULEY: Yes. It`s easier. It was easier.
HAMMER: Well, and to hear Steve talk about his passion for this project. I can see how he made it such a seamless event for you guys.
HUGULEY: Yes.
HAMMER: Social media today obviously going crazy on our Facebook page. We got a lot of great comments. Sherri Ann (ph) said, "This movie gets my vote as movie of the year."
David M., "This is probably one of the best movies I have ever seen."
Karen M., "It was an excellent movie, as we -- as were all the actors in it."
When you hear those accolades -- I`m sure people come up to you in the street and say that -- it`s got to feel unbelievable.
HUGULEY: It`s unbelievable. I mean, the first time I saw the movie was at the New Orleans premier. And I was there with the whole cast. And you know, I was -- I was stuck in my seat afterwards. I was just blown away. I think it`s an extraordinary movie. It`s an extraordinary book. And I`m really proud of it.
HAMMER: Well, you should be. Good for you. Congratulations. I know it`s going to be a long and successful awards season for "12 Years a Slave."
And congratulations on your new show, "True Detective" on HBO.
HUGULEY: Thank you.
HAMMER: What a solid show. I can`t wait to go home and watch my DVR copy.
HUGULEY: Good.
HAMMER: Great having you here, Jay.
HUGULEY: Thanks for having me.
HAMMER: All right. Well, no one was awful in this, and nothing was awful in this for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. That`s what makes them rock at the Golden Globes. Also because they had the best training in the world -- live from New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEY: I was so excited when I was told Senator Clinton and I would be addressing you tonight.
POEHLER: And I was told I would be addressing you alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SBT goes inside Tina Fey and Amy Poehler`s road to the big time. You`ve got to hear how they made it to the top of the "Saturday Night Live" heap together.
Also ahead...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITLEY: I don`t really think I need a stylist.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Kym, this is why you have a stylist. Please let her do her work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Comedian Kym Whitley needs a whole lot more than a stylist, now that she`s a new mom. It all happened when she got a call from the hospital to pick up her baby. That`s not a joke. In fact, it`s so real, her story has become a hit reality TV show.
Kym is right here talking about getting her baby, getting her groove back, and why her reality show on OWN is a social media fan favorite.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Well, they say it takes a village to raise a child. But what happens when that village includes everyone watching your reality show? It works. And that is why "Raising Whitley" on OWN, which just started its second season, has become a runaway hit.
You know Kym Whitley from her roles on shows like "Two Broke Girls"; "That`s So Raven"; one of my favorites, "Curb Your Enthusiasm." Well, she suddenly became a single mom three years ago. I mean that: it was suddenly. That`s what "Raising Whitley" is all about. Her 3-year-old Joshua and the village that helps raise him.
Kym Whitley is with me in Hollywood.
First of all, it`s just cool to meet you. I haven`t seen you for years. Here we are sitting with each other.
WHITLEY: I love it.
HAMMER: But the story of how you got your son Joshua is fascinating. You have to explain it. Because I don`t think most people have heard a story like this ever.
WHITLEY: It is pretty exciting, I would say. You know, I was nervous. But three years ago, you know, I was mentoring a young girl. And she was pregnant. She left my name at the hospital. The hospital called. And said, "Hi, we have your baby ready."
And I think it`s one of my comic friends. I`m like "I didn`t order a baby. Do fries come with that baby?"
HAMMER: Did you say that?
WHITLEY: Oh, yes. Click. Click. You know, county workers don`t have a since of humor.
HAMMER: I know.
WHITLEY: She called back, like, "Ma`am, what are you going to do? You have an hour."
I was like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Wait a minute. What do you mean? I was like, can I get nine months? Can I get a week?"
She`s like, "You have an hour."
I was like, "What`s going to happen if I`ve don`t take the baby?"
She said, "He`s going to go in the system."
I was like, "What`s the system? That sounds scary. It`s like the matrix."
And, you know, and my parents were there visiting from Cleveland. And I was excited. My mom looked at me and she said, "Kym," she was like, "You`re 87 years old." She said, "You got one egg left. And it`s cracked." She was like, "You need to go get that baby."
And that`s what I did. I went and got the baby.
HAMMER: That is unbelievable to me. Instant child.
WHITLEY: Instant.
HAMMER: And had you had thoughts? Your parents obviously did. Your mom did. But did you have any thought of becoming a mom yourself prior to this happening?
WHITLEY: Yes, I put that out. I was like, I would love children. But I was too busy, you know, partying, and doing my career. And I just -- time just kept going.
HAMMER: Wow.
WHITLEY: So my mother and all my friends knew that I wanted to have a baby. But I was like not now. Not yet. I need a husband.
HAMMER: That`s crazy shocking. And not surprising it was turned into -- what a great concept for a good reality show.
I want to take a look at a scene I love from the show. You guys take Joshua, your village, your cast of very colorful friends, take Joshua to a car show. And this is what ensues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Going to see the cars today. See the car? I`m going to take you to the Corvette Club so you can see the real cars. Remember I promised you you could go?
This is one thing that me and Josh do. We play cars a lot. So I`m going to take Joshua to the Corvette Club.
You ready?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ready.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought about it. I said, you know, there are some single guys in the club, so Kym invited all her single friends for the most part.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Look, I even wore my Corvette hair.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
WHITLEY: Hee-hee!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is going to be a hot mess.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Look at you getting decked out to go to the car show. Like you`re going to model the cars.
WHITLEY: Of course. We have a good time. Right. So it`s -- I mean, it`s been a very interesting, and I love the fact that this show is on OWN.
HAMMER: Yes.
WHITLEY: Because my brand and their brand come together. It`s all about inspiring people to build their village.
And I couldn`t raise a child by myself. And that`s why I asked all my friends, "Can you help me raise this child for the rest of my life?" And I remember that, at that time, my agent, Barb Fredericks, she was like, "Kym, you know what? Let`s take the show and shop it around." And OWN was a perfect fit.
HAMMER: Yes.
WHITLEY: And I knew that they would protect me and my child.
HAMMER: Do you think doing this show has made motherhood a better experience for you?
WHITLEY: Oh, yes. Absolutely. It definitely is, because it makes it fun. And I feel like it`s -- it`s good. Because I`m doing something for my son, for me. But I`m able to help other mothers.
And you know, it`s interesting. My village, I call them my superheroes.
HAMMER: Yes.
WHITLEY: They have all said that I have changed their lives. Because I brought a child for them to raise.
HAMMER: Right.
WHITLEY: They want to be better adults.
HAMMER: Look at that.
WHITLEY: Look at that!
HAMMER: Changing the world, Kym. Continued success with this amazing show. So great having you.
WHITLEY: "Raising Whitley" on OWN. Thank you so much, A.J. I love you.
HAMMER: Make sure you catch season two of "Raising Whitley" on OWN. The second season is under way.
Well, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are still feeling the globe, all of their Golden Globes love from last night. But long before they were Hollywood`s favorite funny ladies, they were improv wannabes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POEHLER: My name is Amy, and my number is 506-1GA.
Oh, my God, that was a secluded area!
FEY: Darlene, it was a Popeye`s Chicken.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SBT going inside Tina Fey and Amy Poehler`s road to the big time. From improv gigs to "Saturday Night Live," becoming the gold standard for Golden Globes. It`s SBT`s special report, Tina and Amy, first ladies of comedy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
POEHLER: It can get a little crazy. Not everything has to be explained (ph) just right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two smart women.
FEY: It`s all mine. So is this one.
POEHLER: Yes. Deal with it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Funny on their own.
POEHLER: Yes, I farted, jealous!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Together, hilarious.
FEY: You know, Hillary and I don`t agree on everything.
POEHLER: Anything.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From humble sketch comedy beginnings.
FEY: Oh, look, Jimmy, it`s teen punk pop sensation, Avril Lavigne.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They became Hollywood powerhouses.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Coming up, yet another amazing night at the Golden Globes. We`re taking a look back at Tina Fey and Amy Poehler before their fame. A special edition of SBT continues right now.
Hello, I am A.J. Hammer in Hollywood with my guest co-host, Nischelle Turner, who is the entertainment correspondent for CNN`s "New Day." Nischelle, I am so thrilled to share this fantastic special report you did. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, first ladies of comedy, especially coming off their amazing performance on Sunday night.
TURNER: Were they not so good?
HAMMER: So good.
TURNER: They were absolutely good. Apparently, 20 million people watched the Globes last night. That was up 8 percent even over last year. So, they`re improving every year that they host. And when we say they were so good, I don`t want to tease people. Let`s give them a taste of what they did last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEY: Matthew McConaughey did amazing work this year.
For his role in "Dallas Buyers Club," he lost 45 pound. Or what actresses call being in a movie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: Every actress in that audience was saying, amen. Absolutely. Now what we want to do is take a look back at my special. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler before fame.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TURNER (voice-over): Long before all the honors...
POEHLER: I`m very excited to be hosting this evening.
TURNER: ... the accolades...
FEY: No, we don`t win anymore, but we still get to come.
TURNER: ... Tina and Amy take their first bows on the national stage on "Saturday Night Live."
FEY: Ah, look, Jimmy, it`s teen punk pop sensation Avril Lavigne.
TURNER: That`s their introduction to America. But they`re introduced to each other a decade earlier.
Tina, fresh from the University of Virginia, and Amy, armed with a degree in improv training from Boston College, head west to Chicago. And it`s there they meet in 1993 at the comedy training ground ImprovOlympic.
POEHLER: My name is Amy, and my number is 506-1GA.
FEY: Well, have I heard of them? No.
CHARNA HALPERN, FOUNDER, IMPROVOLYMPIC: I have a knack for seeing that special thing. And I did see it when I saw Tina. And I did see it when I saw Amy.
This is outside of Tina`s wedding.
TURNER: Charna Halpern founded I.O., where thousands of hopefuls come through the doors here.
HALPERN: Some are bolder. Some are braver. I think that`s where Tina and Amy stood out for me. I put them together on a team called Inside Vladimir, and they were surrounded by six men. And, you know, those men knew who ran the show. And it was those girls.
I had created a show called "The Living Room," which I shot a pilot for with them.
POEHLER: Give me a kiss.
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER: Tina and Amy, now fast friends, continue their training at a place synonymous with comedy greatness, Chicago`s Second City.
ANDREW ALEXANDER, CEO, SECOND CITY: Pretty extraordinary, when you start looking at these pictures and the faces.
Andrew Alexander is CEO of Second City.
ALEXANDER: Dan Aykroyd, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, John Candy.
(CROSSTALK)
TURNER (on camera): Well, we don`t have to get very far to see this face.
ALEXANDER: Yes.
TURNER: Ms. Tina Fey.
ALEXANDER: Tina Fey.
TURNER: What kind of classes did they take?
ALEXANDER: They took all improv classes. In those early stages, they were learning their craft.
POEHLER: Oh, my God, that was a secluded area.
FEY: Darlene, it was a Popeyes Chicken.
(LAUGHTER)
FEY: I`m not in the current show quite that much, probably because it was my first show. So, this time, I`m going to do more.
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER (voice-over): This is rare footage from a Second City documentary featuring Tina.
FEY: When you haven`t improvised with a group of people yet, you want to prove yourself. You`re spending your time sort of focusing like on, I can keep up, and I can -- you know, or my place here and find my niche in this ensemble.
TURNER: Fey makes Second City`s prestigious main company. Poehler gets into the touring company, then decides her future lies elsewhere.
ALEXANDER: Amy kind of left us I think before she ever made it onto what we call our main stages. She decided to move on.
TURNER: To New York in 1996, where she co-founds rival improv comedy group, Upright Citizens Brigade.
POEHLER: Are you guys excited for our show this evening?
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
CARTER: She needed to come to New York. She needed to come to find a new niche. She was polishing her skills at that stage.
TURNER: In `97, Tina gets her own summons to New York, and it`s a life- changer.
MCNAMARA: She just came to interview with Lorne Michaels to be a writer on "SNL," which is like hysterically brave. Here she is, this little improv kid. And then you go to see Lorne Michaels, who is like God.
(on camera): What does Lorne Michaels see in her? Was there something?
CARTER: Incredible mind, an incredible comedy mind. She`s just a brilliant comedy writer, just brilliant.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you looking for the perfect gift for mom this Mother`s Day? Introducing Mom Jeans, exclusively at J.C. Penney.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mom Jeans.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cut generously to fit a mom`s body.
MCNAMARA: She wrote the Mom Jeans sketch. She wrote the Racial Tension Headaches case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New Excedrin for Racial Tension Headaches. Excedrin R.T. works fast, taking me from, oh, no you didn`t, to I wish you mother (EXPLETIVE DELETED) would.
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER: At "Saturday Night Live," what was she up against when she was hired as a writer there?
CARTER: Well, it has been a boys club for a lot of its history. But I think, in the Tina era, it was -- it became strongly feminized. Talent breaks through.
TURNER (voice-over): Her talent is so big, she`s named the first female head writer in "SNL" history.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tina Fey.
TURNER: In 2000, another crucial moment in Tina`s ascent. She moves from behind the scenes to the anchor desk on "Weekend Update."
FEY: In a new study, scientists are reporting that drinking beer can be good for the liver.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
FEY: I`m sorry. Did I say scientists? I meant Irish people.
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER (on camera): Lorne has said, he was taking a bit of a risk with Tina putting her in that role.
CARTER: Tina was unknown. She really wasn`t a big star to do it. So I think he put them together to see how it would work, and they had really fantastic chemistry.
TURNER (voice-over): Years later, on his own late-night show...
JIMMY FALLON, HOST, "LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON": I think we have a clip of actually the thing so we can see it.
CARTER: ... Fallon reveals footage of their original screen test.
FEY: I`m a grizzled ex-cop with a heart of gold.
FALLON: And I`m a 7-year-old black orphan who is always getting into mischief.
FEY: And when we get together...
FEY AND FALLON: We bring you the news.
TURNER: While Tina thrives on "SNL," Amy is still in the showbiz shadows. But Tina whispers in the boss` ear, hey, what about my buddy?
CARTER: I know this really great performer. You got to look at her.
And I think she was influential there.
TURNER: Come audition time in 2001, Amy works her magic, as she would joke to Larry King.
POEHLER: And then I just met Lorne in an undisclosed location and I handed him a manila envelope filled with $50,000, and here I am.
TURNER (on camera): How good of a sketch comedian is she?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think she`s one of the best I have ever seen. There was a period of time when, if you watched "Saturday Night Live," you would say, oh, my God, it`s the Amy Poehler show.
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN, ACTOR: I promise you, darling, there`s no ghosts around here. So you`re safe.
POEHLER: That`s good, because I hate ghosts. They`re spooky.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: I`m sorry, Amber, are you farting?
POEHLER: Yes, I farted. Jealous?
TURNER (voice-over): Her range expands in 2004 to include co- anchoring "Weekend Update" alongside you know who.
POEHLER: And Amy Poehler.
FEY: Here are tonight`s top stories.
POEHLER: Their update pairing lasts two years before Tina moves on.
FEY: Hi. I`m Tina Fey and I`m hosting "Saturday Night Live" this week.
TURNER: In 2008, they reteam for one night.
FEY: And maybe what bothers me the most is that people say that Hillary is a bitch. And let me say something about that. Yes, she is. So am I. And so is this one.
POEHLER: Yes. Deal with it.
FEY: You know what?
POEHLER: Reminding us all how awesome they are together.
FEY: Bitch is the new black.
POEHLER: Tina Fey, everyone!
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TURNER: That is one of my favorite memories of the two of them together. That was such a great moment.
HAMMER: My God. And it`s amazing for a lot of people to learn they have known each other as long as they have, and they`ve basically been doing this kind of a thing together for so long.
TURNER: 20 years. They met, bonded instantly. They are still fast friends today. Doesn`t get much better than that in this game.
HAMMER: Yes, when you look at their story, it seems that Tina and Amy were always destined to be comedy royalty.
TURNER: And if you thought their start was impressive, the next chapter well blow you away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: When we return, Tina and Amy part ways on SNL.
FEY: We haven`t worked together in a couple of years.
TURNER: But regroup on the big screen.
POEHLER: What is this?
FEY: Water.
POEHLER: It`s horrible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: You are watching an SBT special report, "Tina Fey and Amy Poehler: First Ladies of Comedy." Tina and Amy were every bit the reason that Sunday`s Golden Globes got its biggest audience in ten years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED: We know Ms. Golden Globe.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please welcome Ms. Golden Globe, our daughter, Sophie Bacon (ph).
FEY: And in the name of gender equality this year, please welcome, Mr. Golden Globe, my adult son from a previous relationship, Randy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This is a special edition of SBT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEY: Meryl Streep is so brilliant in "August: Osage County," proving there are still great parts in Hollywood for Meryl Streeps over 60.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Meryl Streep obviously a living legend, and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are locking in their spots as comedy legends. But some of their best television moments came well before their great one-liners at Sunday`s Golden Globes. Welcome back to a special edition of SBT, I`m A.J. Hammer along with Nischelle Turner in Hollywood, and we are going deep, bringing you the real story behind the first ladies of comedy, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
TURNER: Long before their incredible Golden Globe chemistry wowed the world, the comedy BFFs used their power to take over Saturday Night Live. And that, AJ, was just the beginning, because Tina and Amy didn`t stop there. Take a look right now at the true story of how Tina and Amy rose through the ranks to become the absolute queens of comedy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Weekend Update" with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
TURNER (voice-over): Hollywood takes notice of Tina and Amy`s "SNL" teamwork and, like legions of late-night alums before them, the duo leap from television to the big screen.
FEY: You all have got to stop calling each other sluts and whores.
TURNER: In 2004, Tina writes and stars in the teen comedy "Mean Girls," where Amy plays a morally ambiguous mom.
POEHLER: There are no rules in this house. I`m not like a regular mom. I`m a cool mom.
TURNER: "Mean Girls" is a box office smash, earning more than $129 million worldwide. And more movies follow.
FEY: I want to put my baby inside you.
TURNER: Next, they pair up in "Baby Mama."
POEHLER: Yeah, Kate, we`re partners, like Tom and Jerry.
FEY: Tom and Jerry hate each other.
POEHLER: They love each other. What show are you watching?
FEY: They`re a cat and a mouse.
POEHLER: They had so much fun.
TURNER: Then, Tina lands as a leading lady alongside Steve Carell in "Date Night."
STEVE CARELL, ACTOR: Hi, we were -- hello, up here. We were in here earlier having dinner with our friend Sam I Am.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: You mean Will.i.am?
CARELL: Oh.
FEY: She`s calling us weird. I don`t like that.
TURNER: In the midst of their newly launched movie careers, their television presence grows. Amy continues to showcase her skills on "SNL."
POEHLER: On Wednesday, the 73rd annual Rockefeller Christmas Tree was lit, as was I.
(LAUGHTER)
FEY: Hi. I`m Liz Lemon.
TURNER: Tina translates her real-life experience on the show into the fictional sitcom "30 Rock."
ALEC BALDWIN, ACTOR: You have the boldness of a much younger woman.
TURNER: It takes a while for viewers to come to know "30 Rock," yet despite its bumpy start, with Tina as the creator, writer and star of the show, NBC is willing to bet on it with a second season.
MCNAMARA: "30 Rock"`s numbers were terrible. It wasn`t even getting really good critical attention. But, if you remember, "Seinfeld" didn`t either.
This was a good example of letting a show grow. Don`t yank it. It was to NBC`s credit that they went, OK, we trust you, so we`re going to just give you enough time to find your way.
TURNER: Under Tina`s leadership, "30 Rock" finds its way to 103 Emmy nominations and 16 wins over its seven seasons. "30 Rock" becomes the jewel of Tina`s comedy crown.
FEY: I got to kind of have the final say on almost everything. But I had all of these incredibly talented people doing the work with me and for me. I`m spoiled for forever.
TURNER: While enjoying the spoils of her creative control at "30 Rock," in 2008, Tina is asked back to "SNL," where she makes the most of her uncanny resemblance to a certain political candidate.
FEY: You know, Hillary and I don`t agree on everything.
POEHLER: Anything.
(LAUGHTER)
POEHLER: I believe that diplomacy should be the cornerstone of any foreign policy.
FEY: And I can see Russia from my house.
(LAUGHTER)
TURNER: Tina and Amy`s satirical portrayal of Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton becomes an overnight sensation and a national obsession watched by millions.
MCNAMARA: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, that was -- it was huge. It was huge on like seven or eight different levels. Tina got up there and basically, through her performance, said everything that everybody was thinking.
Then you have Amy. To do Hillary Clinton is actually really hard.
HILLARY CLINTON: I love your outfit.
POEHLER: Why, thank you.
CLINTON: But I do want the earrings back.
POEHLER: Oh, OK.
(LAUGHTER)
MCNAMARA: It also reminded us that comedy can be influential in politics.
FEY: Well, in that case, I`m just going to have to get back to you.
TURNER: Their take on the 2008 elections cements the strength of their partnership and solidifies their Hollywood stock.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: I love revisiting all of that. And really, what is a testament to the impersonation of Sarah Palin is the fact that, that I think is how a lot of people actually came to see Sarah Palin, as the parody that Tina was doing, more than Sarah as her own person.
TURNER: And she took a lot of those Sarah Palin parodies, she used the exact words that Sarah Palin would use in interviews, and just kind of re- created them, tweaked them a little bit. And then this was born.
HAMMER: What is funny is so many people actually think Sarah Palin said, "I can see Russia from my house," and she never exactly said that. But we saw that Tina`s fame stayed strong after SNL. I know Amy`s turn to shine came after that, as well.
TURNER: You betcha. Was that good? No, it wasn`t. Can you say "Parks and Rec," AJ, because if "30 Rock" blew you away, it had nothing on Amy Poehler on "Parks and Recreation." Amy`s next chapter will blow your mind.
HAMMER: You`re watching an SBT special report, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, "First Ladies of Comedy." Tina and Amy stole the show at Sunday`s Golden Globes, and they knew exactly how to get the audience to play along.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FEY: Our friend, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, has two nominations tonight, one for "Veep," and for her first film nomination for "Enough Said."
POEHLER: Interestingly, Julia has chosen to sit in the film section tonight. Hi, Julia. You know us from TV. Hi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the Golden Globe goes to Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation."
POEHLER: Wow! I am just so thrilled to be a part of this evening among such great people as you. And I never win, so I can`t believe I won.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Amy Poehler in a state of pure disbelief as she wins the Golden Globe for best actress in a TV series comedy, for her role on "Parks and Recreation." Amy`s success on "Parks and Recreation" has really been a slow build, but that is exactly how Amy Poehler likes things, isn`t it?
TURNER: Absolutely, she does, AJ. When I spoke to her, she let me in on life behind the scenes on her hit show. And what I saw was a really tight- knit team there that is very grateful for Amy`s golden touch. Now, as we look back, it becomes crystal clear that Amy would easily transform her "SNL" stardom into sitcom success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TURNER: Now it`s Amy`s turn to depart "SNL" for her own sitcom, portraying absurd public official Leslie Knope in the fictional Pawnee, Indiana, on "Parks and Recreation."
POEHLER: Goddesses, let`s go over our schedule for this afternoon. We have hiking, and then capture the flag, and then a puppet show about the Bill of Rights set to "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus.
TURNER: Like "30 Rock," "Parks and Rec" initially struggles to find its audience. But over six seasons so far, the all-star ensemble earns critical acclaim and a loyal legion of fans.
MCNAMARA: It`s just such a humane show. It`s like it`s funny, but it`s never mean. It`s a show that is unlike anything that`s on television.
TURNER (on camera): What makes the magic, though? What makes it work?
POEHLER: I think we have great writers, and I think we have the best cast in TV, comedy or drama. I have said this before.
(LAUGHTER)
POEHLER: You want to cut funding for the Pawnee Palms puppet putt-putt?
TURNER (voice-over): As for how the cast feels about Amy?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Monster.
TURNER (on camera): Is she a monster?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: That`s the word, right?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Amy is like an incredible comedy machine.
TURNER: What about that Amy Poehler?
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Oh, bitch.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Over...
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Way over her. She seems to get all the lines every week, Leslie, Leslie, Leslie.
TURNER: How did it become all about...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: It`s like she`s the center of the show. It`s really weird.
UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: No, she`s the best. She`s the sweetest. And, technically, she`s the leader of our show. You would never know it. She`s just so kind.
TURNER (voice-over): Admired by their comedy peers and respected by their comedy icons.
BURNETT: They`re very witty and they bring brains. They are very smart. And they know how to deliver a line.
POEHLER: Meryl Streep is not here tonight. She has the flu. And I hear she`s amazing in it.
(LAUGHTER)
BURNETT: Their legacy will be, they made -- they made you laugh.
TURNER: Two wildly accomplished writers, producers and actresses.
For Tina, her career has become more than she ever imagined.
FEY: I feel like I have exceeded my wildest dreams.
TURNER (on camera): When you think about what you`re doing now and your life now, I mean, do you pinch yourself and say, wow?
POEHLER: I really always wanted my life to be filled with doing good work with my friends. So I feel like I`m getting to do that now, which is awesome. It`s been a very slow and steady race for me. I like the long game, or the long con is maybe better to say.
TURNER: So you`re the tortoise, not the hare?
POEHLER: Yes, maybe. Maybe I am the tortoise, and will eventually win the race. I don`t know.
TURNER (voice-over): Amy and Tina, indisputably the reigning first ladies of comedy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Yes, so deserving of all that success.
TURNER: And it was good to see Amy finally get her just desserts on Sunday and get that best actress in a comedy series win for "Parks and Recreation." I think it`s long deserved.
HAMMER: Great report, thank you so much, Nischelle, for that, appreciate that. Thank you for watching, I`m A.J. Hammer with Nischelle Turner.
You can catch SBT every Monday through Thursday at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific. HLN continues right now.
END
