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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
Banning Chris Brown?; Courteney Cox and David Arquette Getting Back Together?; "American Idol" Shocker; Lindsay Lohan`s Name Change; Is the NeNe Leaks-Star Jones Feud Over a Guy?; Most Provocative Celebrity of the Week
Aired March 25, 2011 - 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: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - banning Brown? An explosive new battle erupts today over Chris Brown`s scheduled appearance on "Dancing with the Stars." Our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today, should Brown be banned from "Dancing" for his scary "GMA" rampage?
Courteney and David getting back to the today? Courteney Cox and David Arquette spotted together. Are these two patching things up? And would that be a good idea?
An "American Idol" shocker. One of the favorites gets voted off then saved by the judges.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN TYLER, "AMERICAN IDOL" JUDGE: We`ve made a decision here to keep you on.
RYAN SEACREST, "AMERICAN IDOL" HOST: They`re using the one save for Casey Abrams.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The stunned, emotional reaction. And the outrageous reports today that Lindsay Lohan wants to drop her last name and just be known as Lindsay. Hey Lilo, do you really think you`re a Madonna, Prince or Oprah?
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City with big news breaking today - banning Brown.
Yes, there is brand-new outrage today over ABC`s reaction or non- reaction to Chris Brown`s violent backstage tantrum when a window got smashed this week at "Good Morning America."
Brown has apologized and ABC`s response is, "It`s all good." Brown`s been invited back to "Good Morning America" and is still scheduled to appear on "Dancing with the Stars" next Tuesday. That`s despite calls from viewers to ban Brown from the show.
Now, this is a very different reaction than controversial singer Adam Lambert got from ABC back in 2009 when the "American Idol" runner-up kissed a guy on stage during his performance at the American Music Awards.
In response to that unexpected televised moment, ABC cancelled all of Lambert`s upcoming appearances on the network. And today, that has some screaming today double standard.
And in fact, today, writer M.J. Santilli blasted ABC in the "New York Post." Here`s what M.J. wrote, "When Adam Lambert threw in an unexpected guy-guy kiss during his live performance, the punishment was swift and decisive."
"That`s why I fully expected R & B singer Chris Brown likewise to be banned from ABC. What`s worse, two men kissing on stage or someone violently smashing a plate glass window over Times Square with people walking underneath?"
Now, I`m not even going to go into how ridiculous I thought ABC`s reaction was to the Lambert incident. But I am surprised that Brown`s not getting the same treatment here.
Rachel Zalis, contributing editor for "Life and Style Weekly," is there a double standard at play here?
RACHEL ZALIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "LIFE AND STYLE WEEKLY": Absolutely. I mean, first of all, I`m glad to see how well those anger management classes have been working out for Chris Brown.
I mean, it is absolutely appalling and such a double standard. I mean, I completely agree with what they`re saying. You have a guy who`s kissing another guy and a guy who savagely beats his girlfriend and throws a chair through the window.
I`m sick of celebrities getting rewarded for bad behavior. This guy is a simmering pot. And every time you add a little heat, he boils over. Who knows what he`ll do on "Dancing with the Stars"?
HAMMER: Yes. I mean, obviously, he reacted in the worst possible way. And I don`t think people are so worried about what he may do on "Dancing with the Stars" as much as - yes, like you said, rewarding bad behavior.
I do want to bring in radio host, Egypt Sherrod of "EgyptSaidSo.com." Now, when Adam Lambert kissed his keyboardist unexpectedly at the 2009 American Music Awards, his GMA appearance was cancelled. Adam Lambert said that he was banned from two other ABC shows.
Yet Chris Brown has been invited back to GMA. And as of now, he is still booked to be on "Dancing with the Stars." Do you think it`s a double standard?
EGYPT SHERROD, RADIO HOST: Well, let me preface this by saying I don`t necessarily disagree with Rachel. But these are two entirely different circumstances, both having to do with American tolerance and ratings.
First, you know, it`s just the world we live in. Unfortunately, there are still some people in the world who are not ready to see two men on camera kissing. They don`t want their kids to see it, yet, they will tolerate violence. So there`s that.
Number two, the ratings game. You know it and I know it, A.J. The very same day ABC said they weren`t pressing charges on Chris Brown, they invited him back to the show. So what does that tell you?
They want in and they don`t want their rivals to benefit off the biggest news story of the week. And that is going to translate into ratings for "Dancing with the Stars."
HAMMER: Yes. And I can certainly also see in terms of having him back on "Good Morning America," it became a news story. It became a worldwide news story, so it`s something they might want to deal with.
And I can`t understand the argument here and, Rachel, tell me if you agree, you know, one difference is what Chris Brown did, again not condoning it, but what he did did not happen on camera.
In fact, had it not gotten out somehow, had the window not been smashed and it got reported instantly to TMZ, I`m sure they wish nobody had ever heard about it.
Of course, Adam Lambert was this unexpected surprise that he threw at them, as ridiculous as it is that I think they punished him for it.
ZALIS: I don`t care if it happens on camera or off camera. He`s in ABC studios. He`s reacting to an interview and he clearly has serious anger problems. If that grass cracked, do you know how much serious injury could have been done?
And I think it`s awful they`re guided more by ratings and money. I mean, we saw the same thing happening with Charlie Sheen. And I think it`s time that stopped.
HAMMER: So let me ask you quickly, yes or no, do you think, regardless of any double standard, Egypt, he should be allowed to be on "Dancing with the Stars"?
SHERROD: No, I think we have to start holding our celebrities account for their actions.
HAMMER: Amen to that. All right. Well, Chris Brown did apologize, as I mentioned, for his "Good Morning America" outburst, telling BET`s "106 and Park" what I think was the worst possible excuse given his violent past that he was just releasing his anger because he felt blindsided when he was asked about Rihanna. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS BROWN, SINGER: I didn`t physically hurt anyone. I didn`t try to hurt anyone. I just wanted to release just the anger I had inside me because I felt like I worked so hard for this music. So yes, I got very emotional and I apologize for acting like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Well, how is the apology playing with you? I`m here to tell you, not so well. In our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll, here`s what we asked - "Chris Brown Apologizes for `GMA` Outburst: Are you buying his apology?"
I got the results late today. Only 12 percent of you said yes. A whopping 88 percent of you said you`re not buying it. Rachel, why do you think Chris Brown`s apology doesn`t seem to be flying with so many people?
ZALIS: I`ve got to tell you he always seems so smug and cavalier. He didn`t seem sincere when he apologized about Rihanna and he doesn`t seem sincere now. I mean, he says the name of his album is "Forgiving all my Enemies."
I think he`s really saying "F all my enemies," like I don`t think he really believes he`s done anything wrong. He certainly doesn`t act that way.
HAMMER: Are you surprised, Egypt, at all?
SHERROD: I am. I am very surprised. On my radio show, I asked the very same question. And you would be surprised that much of the urban community forgives him and felt that Robin Roberts shouldn`t have asked the question in the first place. They blame her. They don`t blame him.
HAMMER: It`s so strange, because if you watch it back and really pay attention to what she asked and how she asked it, it was actually done in a very respectful way. It was newsworthy because the restraining order against Chris Brown had been relaxed.
So robin said, "Have you had a chance to see her?" Didn`t answer that. Then talking about, "You know, you had a tough couple of years. How is it going?" What the heck is wrong with that? It`s a news program. I mean, really.
SHERROD: Well, he`s very sensitive about the issue. And according to his camp, they did ask for those questions not to be asked. I mean, that`s up for debate.
HAMMER: Yes.
SHERROD: They say, "We did ask." He says they didn`t ask. But he should always be in charge of his emotions and never react in the way he did.
HAMMER: Absolutely. And he should know people are going to ask him about this. Thursday right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, I spoke with the legendary hip-hop mogul, Russell Simmons, and he admitted Brown`s apology wasn`t topnotch. But he said we should cut him a break. Watch what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSSELL SIMMONS, HIP-HOP MOGUL: I think what he said on BET was fair. I mean, it`s not fair always to blame the host. I mean, the host asks you tough questions. The world is thirsting for dirt.
HAMMER (on camera): Sure.
SIMMONS: They live on dirt.
HAMMER: Well, and information related to a news story.
SIMMONS: Well, I don`t know. I mean, it`s not exciting. If you - like, the many times he`s worked for my charity, the Hip-Hop Summit and what he does for Special Olympics - that`s not newsworthy, you know.
But he does a lot of good works. Those things are not newsworthy. Him breaking a window after an interview is world news. And his album is number one as a result, so we don`t want to keep feeding him that either.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, his album is expected to debut at number one. Russell Simmons thinks that the extra publicity actually helped that along. And Rachel, I do hate the fact that it seems like he is being rewarded for his bad behavior here.
ZALIS: I think it`s unfortunate. And I think for anyone to say he was provoked, he didn`t know, that`s like people saying Galliano was provoked into saying his anti-Semitic comments. I mean, you control your own words and actions. And he`s clearly not in a place to do that right now.
HAMMER: I mean, Russell made a good point saying it`s too bad that he gets to succeed because of this sort of collateral publicity that he`s getting.
ZALIS: It`s wrong.
SHERROD: You know, because of that - and because it was the very same day his album came out, part of me said, wait a minute -
HAMMER: Of course.
SHERROD: Is this a publicity stunt? But then again, he took it a little bit too far.
HAMMER: And I will also bring up that when Russell was sitting right where you are right now, Egypt, he did say to me he was with Chris Brown that night. And Chris Brown realized he really messed up.
Whether he realized he messed up because of his image as opposed to he shouldn`t behave that way, who knows? Who really knows with this guy? Egypt Sherrod, Rachel Zalis, I thank you both.
Well, I want to hear what you have to say about all of this. It is our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll - "Chris Brown`s `GMA` Rampage: Do you have think he should be banned from `Dancing with the Stars`?"
Let us know - "punish him" or "no, he apologized." You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. You can always E-mail us. Our address is showbiztonight@cnn.com.
More stars` wars today. Star Jones` blistering new attack on her "Celebrity Apprentice" co-star NeNe Leakes. This is just fantastic. Plus, Star reveals dramatic new details about her book. Is she bashing Barbara Walters in this thing?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STAR JONES, AUTHOR AND REALITY TV STAR: One of the women, like the main character, is a woman named Maxine Robinson. And she`s 65 years old and she`s done everything there is to do in business and in television and she is heartless sometimes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Where did she get the inspiration from that? Star goes off today. Wait until you hear her stunning new confessions.
Also, Courteney and David getting back together today? What`s going on here? Courteney Cox and David Arquette were spotted hanging out. We`re wondering if these two were patching things up or if that would even be a good idea.
Plus the "American Idol" shocker -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TYLER: We made a decision here to keep you on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Casey saved. It was the right move? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Miley Cyrus` alleged stalker arrested for trespassing. Lady Gaga releases country version of "Born this Way."
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. Right now, royal revelations. There`s only a month left until Prince William makes Kate Middleton his princess.
And today, there are brand-new revelations about what`s expected to be the wedding of the century. Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT answers the big question, how will William and Kate travel to and from Westminster Abbey on their big day?
Here`s CNN`s Max Foster with the first look at the royal wheels.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): All eight state limousines will be used on the wedding day. Kate will be traveling to the abbey in one like this but with a glass roof at the back.
ALEXANDER GARTY, TRANSPORT MANAGER: It`s actually designed with visibility in mind so you actually probably get a better view in the Rolls- Royce she`s using than a closed carriage.
FOSTER: After the wedding, Kate and William will leave the abbey in this carriage. It`s the queen`s favorite. It was also used by Charles and Diana on their wedding day. It is a 1902 State Landau.
If it raining, though, the couple will revert to the glass coach, which has a hard roof. Kate isn`t used to traveling by carriage, so she`ll need some practice in the art of getting in and out gracefully.
TOBY BROWNE, CROWN EQUERRY: I think she will wish to probably practice getting in and out of the carriage because, obviously, on the day, she will be wearing a dress with a large train. And it`s quite a difficult event to get into the carriage and get settled. And so it all looks perfect, but I think she`s very excited about it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE) trick that out with some nice chrome rims or something. Well, I`m sure Kate is very busy getting ready for her wedding day. But after the festivities are over, Kate and William can look forward to a little rest and relaxation on their honeymoon. I`m sure they`re going to need it. The question is where will the royal honeymoon be?
"People" magazine writer/reporter Suzanne Zuckerman joins us now with the inside information.
A lot of speculation, obviously, Suzanne, as to where this is going to happen. I`ve heard Scotland, a week in Wales, in the Maldives.
"People" magazine is reporting that William actually dropped a big hint about this. What`s he saying?
SUZANNE ZUCKERMAN, WRITER/REPORTER, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: yes. William actually came right out and said that the couple might honeymoon in Australia. He says he`s a big fan of scuba-diving.
He`s always dreamed of sort of diving off the Great Barrier Reef and that he would be bringing Kate back to that country in a couple of weeks.
HAMMER: Wow. That`s pretty cool. And you know, going to the Great Barrier Reef, I believe - I`ve heard it`s as close as you can get to going to the moon, so that`s pretty cool.
Now, anybody who`s getting married has the pre-wedding jitters. I imagine Kate`s are to, you know, the nth power.
ZUCKERMAN: Sure.
HAMMER: One thing I understand she doesn`t have to worry about is getting along with the in-laws. Camilla has actually given Kate her royal blessing, I understand.
ZUCKERMAN: She absolutely has given Kate the royal thumbs-up. These ladies have been hanging out together quite a bit in the past couple of weeks. They`ve been to the ballet together. They`ve been to lunch.
And Camilla went so far as to say publicly that Kate is a lovely girl and that the royal family is very lucky to have her.
HAMMER: Wow. Big seal of approval right there. And I understand it`s not just Camilla but Kate`s actually been getting the opportunity to spend time with Charles and Camilla all together?
ZUCKERMAN: Absolutely. They went, just the three of them, to see a production of a royal ballet. And Kate sat there right smack in the middle of them and had a lovely time. The audience wasn`t even aware they were in the presence of royalty until all of the ballerinas sort of curtsied toward them at the end.
HAMMER: It`s been called the wedding of the century. Is this going to be the biggest wedding the world has ever seen, really?
ZUCKERMAN: I mean, the social media and the way it`s going to be covered sort of online, on television, in print - it is going to have millions, if not billions, of eyes upon it.
HAMMER: Suzanne Zuckerman, great to see you. Thank you so much. Make sure you read more about the preparation for the royal wedding by picking up your copy of "People" magazine. It`s on newsstands right now.
And yes, we are part of this coverage, of course. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson will be on her way to London to cover the Prince William- Kate Middleton wedding. And we`re teaming up with "People" magazine because we want to bring you the best coverage possible to make sure you are with HLN.
A lot of calls coming in to "Showbiz on Call" today all about Chris Brown`s "GMA" rampage and his apology. Now, Kim called up to say people need to give Chris a break.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
KIM, CALLER: I think people should stop asking Chris Brown about Rihanna. He seems like he`s trying to get past it, but people won`t let him. So I think people should just give him a chance and let him grow up.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot, Kim. Now, Wendon, calling from Texas, wants Chris to stop complaining.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
WENDON, CALLER FROM TEXAS: He should have been arrested. He should pay for the damages. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) if he can`t act like an adult. Celebrities should not be excused for their bad behavior and then rewarded by getting good money, you know, promoting themselves. He knew what he was getting into. If he can`t handle the pressure, he should get out of the business.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks, Wendon. What do you think? Call us at "Showbiz on Call" and let us know. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are always open. The number - 1-888-SBT-BUZZ; 1-888-728-2899. That`s where you can leave us a voicemail. We would love to play your call here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Courteney Cox, David Arquette - of course, they split up. But there`s brand-new evidence today they may be getting back together. Listen to this -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COURTENEY COX, ACTRESS: He looks the best he`s ever looked. He`s doing great. He`s awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He does look great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Are these two really patching things up? And if so, would that actually be a good idea? We`ve got the big debate coming up.
Well, just call Lindsay, Lindsay. Yes. We`ve got the incredible reports today that she wants to drop her last name. She just wants to be known as Lindsay. Hey, Lilo, do you really think you`re like Madonna or Prince?
And your SHOWBIZ first look at the "Grey`s Anatomy" musical.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Wait until you see more of this, coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Andy Warhol portrait of Elizabeth Taylor expected to get $20 million at auction. New picture from "The Kennedys" miniseries revealed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Gisele Bundchen censored in the Middle East. Take a look at these pictures. This is supermodel Gisele in an H & M ad campaign for their spring-summer collection.
Now, the picture you`re looking at on the right is the original ad. The one on the left is in H & M`s Middle Eastern store ad. It`s in places like Dubai, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
A white shirt underneath Gisele`s outfit covers more of her skins because, in these countries, it is generally preferred that women wear more modest clothes.
Right now, it is your very first look at the "Grey`s Anatomy" musical episode. ABC is doing a very special episode next week. The show`s character will sing songs from The Fray, Randy Carlisle and Snow Patrol.
You`ve got to take a look at Callie, played by Sara Ramirez, doing one of my favorite songs, Snow Patrol`s "Chasing Cars." She does it as sort of an out-of-body experience after she was in a tragic car accident.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
ERIC DANE, ACTOR: What the hell happened?
JESSICA CAPSHAW, ACTRESS: It came out of nowhere. I asked her to marry me. The truck came out of nowhere.
(MUSIC)
DANE: Torres, stay with me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It looks like it will definitely be pretty interesting. The "Grey`s Anatomy" music event will air on Thursday, March 31st on ABC.
So we`re getting hundreds of posts on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook wall today about Chris Brown. Do you buy his apology for his out-of- control rampage after his "GMA" experience?
Lauren F. writes, "No, I don`t buy his apology. He`s only sorry he got caught and he doesn`t get that people are never going to forget what he did to Rihanna."
But Jeremy M. adds, "I think he let his emotions get the best of him and the apology was from the heart."
Here now, the SHOWBIZ lineup - here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Star Jones takes on her "Celebrity Apprentice" co-star, NeNe Leakes. Get this - is there a feud over a guy?
It is time for us to name the most provocative celebrity of the week. The nominees - Chris Brown, of course - his GMA rampage. Victoria Jackson dissing "Glee" for a guy-guy kiss right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Billy Ray Cyrus for saying "Hannah Montana" was great after he first claimed it destroyed his family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TYLER: We made a decision here to keep you on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: The unbelievable "American Idol" shocker. But should J. Lo, Randy and Steven have saved Casey? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.
Here`s the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Britney Spears to perform on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown`s daughter in talks for her own reality show.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - stunning Star confessions. Star Jones goes off on her "Celebrity Apprentice" co-star, NeNe Leakes. Plus, is Star`s new novel about Barbara Walters?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: One of the women, like the main character, is a woman named Maxine Robinson. And she`s 65 years old and she does everything there is to do in business and in television. And she is heartless sometimes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Star`s explosive new interview today. Courteney Cox and David Arquette spotted together. Are these two patching things up?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COX: It`s the best he`s ever looked. He`s doing great. He looks awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He does look great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: We`re asking today, should they get back together? Lindsay Lohan dropping her last name, you know, like Madonna or Beyonce. Come on. Are you kidding me?
Plus, breaking today from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -Jeremy Piven to "Two and a Half Men"? And Steven Tyler`s wonderful birthday.
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City. And we have got big news breaking today - Star`s stunning confessions.
I`m talking jaw-dropping new revelations today from Star Jones as she sets the record straight on all her big controversies.
In a brand-new interview today with talk show host Wendy Williams, Star spills on that nasty feud with her "Celebrity Apprentice" co-star, NeNe Leakes. So is the whole thing actually over a man?
Star also reveals whether or not her shocking new book called "Satan`s Sisters" is really about "The View" and her former boss, Barbara Walters.
But let me begin with the shocking new details of Star`s feud with former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star, NeNe Leakes, who is also on "Celebrity Apprentice." Now, there have been reports out there that NeNe has actually been spending time with none other than Star`s ex-husband, Al Reynolds.
Look at Star`s face when Wendy Williams asked her about that and about some of NeNe`s comments about Star.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WENDY WILLIAMS, HOST, "THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW": What do you think about their friendship?
JONES: Could it be more miscellaneous?
WILLIAMS: Do you think they`re having sex?
JONES: I could care less.
WILLIAMS: Do you think - she said that she wouldn`t spit on you if you were on fire when she was here.
JONES: That`s not a lady-like thing to say. But then again we`re talking about somebody else here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Not lady like. That`s a pretty great line. All right. Let me bring in radio host Egypt Sherrod who is also the editor of "EgyptSaidSo.com."
Star didn`t have a whole lot to say, Egypt, about NeNe very specifically. She was trying to take the high road, I think, in her own special way that Star does. But if reports are true that NeNe is possibly dating Star`s ex-husband, Al Reynolds, could be at the heart of what their feud is about, do you think?
SHERROD: A.J., do you see the look on my face? Do I believe that this is about Al Reynolds? Absolutely not.
HAMMER: No?
SHERROD: I don`t think he has enough testosterone for NeNe Leakes. If she`s hanging out with Al, it`s a lot like she used to hang out with Dwight from "Real Housewives of Atlanta."
HAMMER: Yes.
SHERROD: And no, Star didn`t throw half as many jabs as she could have. Let`s be honest. NeNe has been - she`s been going in on her in every show she could possibly go in on her.
HAMMER: Right.
SHERROD: She`s dogged her out in the press. So it is about time Star takes off her shoes and throws some verbal punches.
HAMMER: Well, and again, she took it pretty lightly because she made it very clear it`s been sort of a one-way fight, "Star (sic) is the one who`s been saying all the nasty stuff about me. I haven`t been saying it about her." But a lot of people thought NeNe and Star - they just didn`t like each other.
Let me get to "Life and Style Weekly`s" contributing editor, Rachel Zalis. Rachel, do you think it`s more likely that their feud is actually about Al Reynolds than anything that happened on "Celebrity Apprentice" or some other time?
ZALIS: First of all, A.J., I love a great reality star smackdown. This one is so fun. But the truth is, NeNe just told "Life and Style" that there is absolutely no truth to that rumor whatsoever.
She met Al one night at a mutual friend`s dinner party where there were 15 people. So I just think is this is a duel of the divas. They`re playing their parts and having a good time. And Donald Trump couldn`t be happier.
HAMMER: Oh, are you kidding me? He`s loving every moment of this.
ZALIS: Yes.
HAMMER: Well, of course "Celebrity Apprentice" is only one place where Star has made plenty of noise. Her tumultuous departure of "The View" really put her on the celebrity feud map.
And now, Star has a brand-new book out. Listen to the title, "Satan`s Sisters." Listen to what it is about - a talk show hosted by four women including a character that sounds very familiar.
Listen to Star explain it to Wendy Williams today and you must check out Wendy`s reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JONES: One of the women like the main character is a woman named Maxine Robinson. And she`s 65 years old and she`s done everything there is to do in business and in television. And she is heartless sometimes and she is black.
WILLIAMS: The color can change but the story can remain the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, look, Star didn`t exactly deny that the character is based on Barbara Walters. But Egypt, is there any doubt?
SHERROD: I love it! It makes for such good TV.
HAMMER: Yes.
SHERROD: Oh, come on. You and I both know this is her second chance, 15 minutes of fame. She is going to take it to the bank.
HAMMER: Yes. And Star claims there`s no animosity and she didn`t throw anybody under the bus.
SHERROD: Wink. Wink.
HAMMER: I`m eager to read that book and find out for myself. Now, Star is scheduled to be on HLN`s "THE JOY BEHAR SHOW" coming up on April 4th. She says she still doesn`t know if she`s going to be invited to do "The View."
Rachel, what do you think? If Barbara is the character in Star`s book, if it really is about "The View," you know, fictitiously, would it be a good idea or bad idea for Barbara to have Star back on the show to promote her book?
ZALIS: Of course it`s about "The View" and of course she needs to go on because they need to split screen it like they did Rosie and Elisabeth. It will be the best ratings ever that they`ll get on that show.
HAMMER: Yes. But if paints "The View" on a pretty bad light, if it is about "The View" - I mean, I don`t know. "Satan`s Sisters"? Really?
SHERROD: Yes. I think Barbara will turn it down.
HAMMER: OK. Let me move on right now. We have more big news breaking today. "American Idol" twist. Wait until you see this. Who was left speechless after elimination?
Also has Will Ferrell been hired to run "The Office." And are Courteney Cox and David Arquette actually getting back together? All this is making big news in "The Buzz Today."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) "Idol" shocker. Surprising moments on "American Idol" Thursday night as judges` favorite, Casey Abrams, was eliminated. But in a stunning twist, the judges used their one save of the season leaving Casey speechless.
TYLER: We`ve made a decision here to keep you on.
SEACREST: They`re using the one save for Casey Abrams!
HAMMER: Is Will Farrell the new Steve Carrell? Devoted fans of "The Office" knew that funny man Will Farrell was on his way to "The Office."
But in a tantalizing tease just after Thursday night`s episode, the big question is will he be the new boss of Dunder Mifflin? Ferrell has signed on for four episodes of "The Office."
Courteney and David reunited? Courteney Cox-Arquette and David Arquette are back together again, at least while they promote their new film, "Scream 4." The estranged couple who appeared in all films together revealed working together was a real family affair.
"People.com" reports that Arquette opened up at a press conference saying, quote, "There is a real family feeling, especially with Courteney, being married and having a kid. It just brings an honesty and that is really my favorite part of acting."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Now, David and Courteney not only reunited on screen for "Scream 4." They`ve actually been spotted hanging out together. And David isn`t the only one doing the talking.
In a brand-new interview, Courteney was gushing about David like she had some kind of school girl crush. Take a look at what she just told "Access Hollywood."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COX: It`s best he`s ever looked. He`s doing great. He`s just awesome.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He does look great, actually.
(CROSS TALK)
He does. He`s slim. Is he slimmer than he normally is?
COX: Slim works. He`s really, really cute and he`s just stylish.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: She called him "awesome," "cute." She was looking around for him. I`ve got to tell you, Courteney`s reaction actually gives me some hope to the extent that I hope they get back together - that they may get back together.
That leads to our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - should Courteney and David get back together? Egypt, what do you think? You know, they`re such an odd couple. I don`t know.
SHERROD: I just love those two as a couple. I was heartbroken when I found out they broke up. But I guess, the question is, is once a cheater always a cheater? But I read something - well, go ahead.
HAMMER: Well, no. To be clear, David claims he never cheated on her while they were still together. And it was after that they had made the decision to be separate -
SHERROD: Right. That what he claims.
HAMMER: I`m just saying. So we don`t know that.
SHERROD: All right. Let`s just say it`s alleged.
HAMMER: Be careful -
SHERROD: It`s alleged. But at the same time, there are studies that show and research that show an affair, an infidelity in a marriage can actually bring a couple closer.
HAMMER: Yes.
SHERROD: You`ve heard this as well?
HAMMER: I have. And it will be interesting to see if it happens with them. I actually like both of them very much as well. I was getting used to them not being a couple for some reason.
SHERROD: Oh, you just want her for yourself.
HAMMER: Well, listen. I mentioned that these two have been photographed out and about together in Malibu. According to "People.com," the two were smiling at each other and they were sharing a few laughs while they were promoting "Scream 4" at a press conference.
Rachel, what are you? To our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint - should Courteney and David get back together?
ZALIS: I think it amazing. First of all, she seems like a new little schoolgirl all over again. It`s so sweet. And I think in a town full of backstabbing and breakups, it`s nice to see a couple trying to make it work. They have a six-year-old daughter. And I think it`s great that they are putting the effort in.
HAMMER: And great publicity for "Scream 4."
SHERROD: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Egypt Sherrod, Rachel Zalis, thank you both so much.
HAMMER: All right. I want you to forget the dates in court. I want you to forget the jail, the stints in rehab. This has got to be the wildest Lindsay Lohan news I`ve heard in a long time.
Lindsay wants to drop her last name and just be known as Lindsay, like Madonna or Prince or Oprah. Really?
And it`s that time again - who will SHOWBIZ TONIGHT name as the most provocative celebrity of the week today? Will it be Chris Brown for his violent backstage outburst at "GMA"? Victoria Jackson for coming on our show to slam "Glee`s" guy-on-guy kiss? Or Billy Ray Cyrus for backtracking after blaming Disney for destroying his family?
Plus, tornado boy. Today, it`s the can`t-stop watching video that has made a 15-year-old an Internet sensation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god! Hey, look at this! Oh, my god! Tornado! Tornado!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Wait until you see this. This is one excited kid. And this is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. This is the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: SHOWBIZ truth squad: Jeremy Piven not joining "Two and a Half Men." Bradley Cooper reveals which star is not returning in "The Hangover 2."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s a tiger?
BRADLEY COOPER, ACTOR: No, there`s a drug-dealing monkey.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh -
COOPER: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A drug-dealing monkey.
COOPER: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does he have an owner, or does he walk around by himself?
COOPER: He has a carrier.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: We are just moments away from naming SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week. Who is it going to be? Chris Brown for his "Good Morning America" outburst? Victoria Jackson for slamming the "Glee" guy-guy kiss right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT? Or will it be Billy Ray Cyrus for dissing "Hannah Montana" and now saying, "Oops, I didn`t really mean to do that"?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And we will reveal our most provocative celebrity of the week in just a moment.
But first, move over Oprah, Beyonce and Madonna. There`s new star who now goes by one name and one name only. I`m talking Lindsay. Yes, just Lindsay.
"PopEater.com" reports today that Lindsay Lohan plans to drop her infamous last name. So is that really a good idea?
Joining me now is Rob Shuter. Rob is a columnist for "PopEater.com." He was the dude who got the scoop on Lindsay`s big name change. Thanks, Rob.
And for me, Rob, there will on be one Lindsay and that`s Lindsay Wagner, but I digress. Listen, if Lindsay wants to change her name and go with a single name, have a fresh start, good for her. But how do you come upon this information and how serious is she about this?
ROB SHUTER, COLUMNIST, "POPEATER.COM": I think she`s pretty serious, like this was a big press release. I was talking to Dina yesterday who called me from -
HAMMER: That would be Dina Lohan.
SHUTER: Dina Lohan.
HAMMER: Who will also be changing her last name to her maiden name, Sullivan.
SHUTER: Dina Sullivan, actually. I was talking to Dina yesterday, and she was at the bank. And we were rattling on about stuff that wasn`t that important. And she sort of announced in the middle of our conversation that Lindsay was going to be dropping her last name.
And indeed Dina and the younger sister, Ali, are going to be going back to Sullivan, which I thought was pretty interesting. And I asked Dina, "Can I report this?" And she said yes.
HAMMER: And part of the reason why, as you reported, was to distance themselves from her father - from Lindsay`s father and Dina`s ex-husband, Michael Lohan, who has a troubled past.
Let me get to Jessica Coen, editor-in-chief for "Jezebel.com." What do you think? Is this a good idea, Jessica?
JESSICA COEN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "JEZEBEL.COM": I think you`re giving Michael Lohan way too much credit. You know, change your name because you don`t like your name. Change your name because you think you`re Oprah even if you`re not.
But to say you`re changing it to distance yourself from your husband kind of implies that you think the husband has the name recognition more so than you do.
HAMMER: Isn`t that the case, though? Isn`t that what they`re doing here, Rob?
SHUTER: Yes. They want to get away from him. He will not stop talking. He`s on "Celebrity Rehab," which the family did not want him to do. He`s never going to go away. So if he`s not going to go away, they`re just going to take that name away from him. And now, it`s just going to be Lindsay.
HAMMER: And I get the whole trying-the-fresh-start thing. Really, I do understand that. But do you think, you know, with all of Lindsay`s troubles - and she still has some court dates coming up - this can really help her distance herself from her troubled past?
COEN: Absolutely not. She`s begging for attention in the wrong way. And if she wants to rebuild her career, she needs to get solid roles. She needs to get her act together and she needs to perform and build a career again. Losing your last name is not the thing to do before you have your career.
HAMMER: No. And you know, then she will never have been SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week just as Lindsay because she`s always been it as Lindsay Lohan.
And right now, we must get to this SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week. Who should we name? Chris Brown for his violent backstage outburst at ABC?
Will it be Victoria Jackson? She came right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and slammed "Glee`s" guy-on-guy kiss. Or will it be Billy Ray Cyrus? Now, he backtracked big time after he blamed Disney for destroying his family. Then, he came out and said, "Oh, no. Everything`s good. I love Disney. I love everybody." Rob, who is your pick this week?
SHUTER: It`s Chris. No doubt it is Chris Brown. To slam somebody verbally is pretty bad, but to physically slam something in a newsroom is not good. Chris gets my vote this week.
HAMMER: Hasn`t been proven, by the way -
SHUTER: Allegedly.
HAMMER: That Chris broke the window. He allegedly broke the window.
SHUTER: He`s apologized for it.
(CROSS TALK)
HAMMER: He apologized, but he said, "I was just looking for release for my anger." Not a good idea when you have a violent past like Chris Brown.
SHUTER: The apology took away. He didn`t really apologize.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s get to it. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the week - drum roll, please. It is Victoria Jackson. That`s right. She slammed "Glee`s" guy-on-guy kiss right here.
Take a look at what she said when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson asked her if she understood why people were up in arms over what she said. Roll it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE ANDERSON, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CO-HOST: Do you understand the other side of the argument in defense of "Glee"? Some are saying the show could actually be helping kids.
VICTORIA JACKSON, FORMER "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" STAR: I would like - no, it`s not helping. They should have a celibacy campaign and tell kids that 50 percent of teenagers now have this new STD from oral sex. That`s what they should be, you know, doing instead of trying to make kids gay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right, Jessica. Listen, I know Chris Brown behaved badly this week, but there was no way in my mind we could have named anybody other than her for what she said.
COEN: Absolutely not. Sadly, you expect this from Chris Brown. Victoria Jackson slammed an entire group of people by saying what she says. "Glee" does help kids. "Glee" does speak to a kind of marginalized group.
And it`s a really popular show. And when you go out and say something like Victoria is saying, it becomes very personal.
HAMMER: Yes.
COEN: She is personally attacking an entire group.
HAMMER: "Glee" makes kids gay. Right.
COEN: Yes.
HAMMER: OK. Thank you so much. Thanks, guys. I appreciate you being here, Rob Shuter, Jessica Coen. Let`s move on to someone who could probably give all of our provocative nominees some pretty good advice, HLN`s own Dr. Drew Pinsky.
Now, we`re a little over a week away from the launch of Dr. Drew`s new nightly show. It makes its premier right here, April 4th on HLN at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT caught up with Dr. Drew at the red carpet at the premier of the new movie, "Super." And it was a family night out. But Dr. Drew did talk a little shop for a little bit telling us what we can expect from his new show and why it`s like nothing he`s ever done before.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DREW PINSKY, ADDICTION EXPERT AND TV PERSONALITY: We`re going to be examining the folks that - you know, everyone`s focused on all day long in trying to take apart what it is that`s happening with them, maybe talk about people who have been recovered from similar kinds of conditions. They really try to dismantle what it is that`s making people do what they do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, we`re absolutely thrilled to be welcoming Dr. Drew Pinsky into the HLN family. So mark your calendar. Dr. Drew`s nightly show makes its premier April 4th on HLN at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
HAMMER: Well, coming up next, you have got to see this. It`s the latest YouTube sensation. This guy goes nuts over a tornado.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my god! Look, there it is! Oh, my god! Tornado! Tornado!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: It is a SHOWBIZ caught on tape - tornado, tornado freak out. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. Let`s get to the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.
TEXT: Justin Timberlake, Beyonce among stars on Japan benefit album. Stevie Wonder sings Happy Birthday to Steven Tyler.
(SINGING)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now, SHOWBIZ caught on tape - I`m talking total tornado freak out here. Tornadoes are rare in Pennsylvania, so when a twister recently touched down there, it was a big deal.
But the thing that`s grabbing headlines today is the over-the-top reaction by a teenage boy all caught on tape. Here`s Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It`s amateur video of a tornado with a twist.
TYLER TUBBS, TORNADO EYEWITNESS: Do you see that twister? Do you see that twister?
MOOS: And the twist is the narrator.
TUBBS: You can just call me the Tornado Boy.
MOOS: Seems like a pretty low-key teenager, right?
TUBBS: This is a tornado. Oh, my God! If you could see that! Oh, my God!
MOOS: Fifteen-year-old Tyler Tubbs was talking to his mom on the phone at his home in Hempfield, Pennsylvania, outside Pittsburgh.
TUBBS: It`s right above us, mom. It is humongous. It`s hailing golf balls.
MOOS: You`d be excited, too. After all -
TUBBS: We don`t get tornadoes here.
MOOS: But there it was, captured on various home videos. What Tyler Tubbs managed to capture was the fear.
TUBBS: Oh, my God! It landed! Oh, my God! Tornado! Tornado!
MOOS: The tape ends as Tyler raced for the finished basement. Next thing you know he`s fodder for YouTube critics, making fun of his accent, calling him a sissy, a drama queen.
(on camera) But before you go calling Tyler Tubbs a sissy, look at all the damage that tornado caused.
(voice-over) Dozens of homes in Westmoreland County were damaged. Some were completely destroyed. To those who call him wimpy, Tyler says -
TUBBS: They didn`t see it. They didn`t see what I saw.
MOOS: The twister did not damage Tyler`s house. His video was on its way to becoming an Internet hit. Of course, it`s been remixed.
TUBBS: This is a tornado, guys. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Did you see that twister?
MOOS (on camera): Now Tornado Boy is being compared to another exuberant observer of natural phenomena.
PAUL VASQUEZ, SHOT VIDEO OF DOUBLE RAINBOW: Oh, wow!
MOOS: Double Rainbow Guy.
VASQUEZ: Oh, my god! Oh, my god!
TUBBS: Oh, my god! If you could see that! Oh, my god!
VASQUEZ: It`s so bright.
TUBBS: It`s coming down hard.
VASQUEZ: What does this mean?
TUBBS: Do you see that? Do you see that?
MOOS: At least Tornado Boy didn`t cry as Rainbow Guy did.
VASQUEZ: It`s so beautiful.
MOOS (on camera): I can only imagine if you actually saw a double tornado.
TUBBS: Oh, boy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That`s fantastic. That was Jeanne Moos for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. That`s it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thanks for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is live 5:00 p.m. Eastern Monday through Friday. And of course, we are still TV`s most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific here on HLN.
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