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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes` Shocking Divorce; SHOWBIZ on Location
Aired June 29, 2012 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Tonight, Fourth of July fireworks come early to Hollywood. The explosive split that caught everyone by surprise today. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes calling it quits.
Tonight, we answer all the burning questions. What went wrong? Why now? And were there any signs of trouble?
(MUSIC)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer. And your assignments, Tom Cruise, should you choose to accept it is to get married and stay married. But is that marriage impossible?
Well, it would seem that way tonight after we got the shocking news this afternoon that Tom and Katie Holmes are done, finished, getting divorced.
And tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is getting to the bottom of this out-of-the- blue divorce debacle with the burning questions everyone`s been asking all day long.
What went wrong? Who`s to blame? Who filed for divorce first? And could Katie walk away with a good chunk of Tom`s huge fortune? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with Tom-Kat troubles that are headed to divorce court.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over) There was a time when the mere mention of Katie Holmes` name was enough to make Tom Cruise lose his mind and jump on Oprah`s couch.
OPRAH WINFREY, MEDIA MOGUL: Have you ever felt this way before?
HAMMER: But now, the Tom Cruise-Katie Holmes union has taken its final leap. In a bombshell revelation this afternoon, reps for both Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes confirmed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that they are splitting up after 5 1/2 years of marriage, and the shocking news that 33-year-old Katie is splitting from Tom comes less than a week before Tom`s 50th birthday.
ALEXIS TERESZCUK, "RADAR ONLINE": The split was a big surprise for everyone.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT confirmed today Katie was the one who filed for divorce. Her attorney telling us, "This is a personal and private matter for Katie and her family. Katie`s primary concern remains, as it has always been, her daughter`s best interest."
And a rep for Tom Cruise tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT , "Tom is very sad about it and is concentrating on the kids".
TERESZCUK: This is totally out of the blue. Tom and Katie really seemed to have a solid, stable marriage, even though it started out as one of the most outrageous things in all of Hollywood.
HAMMER: Ever since they first got together in 2005, Tom Cruise the movie legend, and Katie Holmes, the former teen star, who says she had Cruise`s poster on her wall growing up, instantly rocketed to the top of Hollywood`s A-list couples.
Tom gushed about Katie in his now infamous appearance on "Oprah" in 2005. The two got married in a much-hyped wedding in a castle in Italy in 2006.
Six years ago, Tom and Kate had their first only child together, a daughter they named Suri. But lately, we haven`t seen much of Tom-Kat.
Katie was conspicuously absent recently when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there with Tom Cruise while he was out promoting his film, "Rock of Ages."
In fact, Katie Holmes is most often seen running around New York City with Suri with Tom only making an occasional appearance.
A hint of what may be going on behind the scenes came today with a report that it was Katie who filed the divorce documents.
TERESZCUK: It was a big surprise that Katie filed for divorce. Tom actually has been the one who filed for divorce in the past.
HAMMER: He was married to Mimi Rogers from 1987 to 1990 and Nicole Kidman from 1990 to 2001.
TERESZCUK: This one was a little bit strange. People couldn`t understand why the two of them were together. There`s a huge age difference. They were very different places in their careers.
HAMMER: But some hoped this Oprah-sanctioned union, which started with such unbridled couch-jumping enthusiasm would have a different outcome.
Instead, it appears today`s divorce announcement will go right up there as the yet another big Hollywood marriage with a short shelf life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
A short shelf life indeed. So much fanfare and hoopla surrounding Tom-Kat`s fairy tale wedding in that Italian castle. That was five-and-a-half years ago. And just like that, poof, they`re done.
Well, with me tonight, Vikki Ziegler, who is an attorney and the author of a fine new book. It`s called "Premarital Planner." And Tom and Katie might have needed that.
Also with me tonight, Carlos Greer, who is a reporter with "People" magazine. They first broke the Tom-Kat divorce story today.
And Vikki, I will start with you. I have to tell you, number one, I didn`t see this coming. Number two, I was never among the cynics that said this wouldn`t work. And number, three I am actually pretty bummed out by it.
VIKKI ZIEGLER, ATTORNEY: I know. You know what it is? Disappointing. I think everyone was really rooting for them.
They seemed like they were really in love, and they have this beautiful daughter that we`re always watching, you know, seeing her grow up. So yes, to have this news come out right before the holiday weekend is very interesting.
That is always very suspect because what happens is, often, these kinds of stories will break right before people are going on break. The news cycle slowed down. People aren`t watches as much television.
And hopefully, for the star`s sake, they`re thinking maybe it will get less attention. But really, when you think about it in the grand context of this couple, today`s divorce news, such a far cry from that infamous day six years ago.
Tom Cruise excited as we had ever seen him. He had just begun dating Katie and he jumped famously on Oprah`s couch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: This is interesting, Tom. We have never seen you behave this way before.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: I know.
WINFREY: Have you ever felt this way before?
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And by the way, for the record, I was among the few that never held that against Tom Cruise, and didn`t think he was out of his tree because he did that. But I was pretty much alone with that, I guess.
Of course, that was then and this is now. Carlos, were there any clues as to why Katie decided to file for divorce and what if anything actually went wrong?
CARLOS GREER, REPORTER, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, you know what, this is a huge shocker because we talked to Tom a few weeks ago in an exclusive interview in the magazine.
And he was talking how much he loved Katie. He talked about his family. He seemed pretty satisfied and even talked about his 50th birthday. But what`s interesting is we haven`t seen them photographed together in a few months.
HAMMER: Yes.
GREER: And this is a couple where we saw them together all the time. She was at every premier, and she wasn`t at any "Rock of Age`s" premiers.
HAMMER: And Tom`s statement this afternoon acknowledged that Katie was the one who filed for divorce. This is what his rep tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Tom is very sad about it."
And it kind of makes me sad hearing that. I like him. I like him a lot. I think he is an affable guy. Vicky when you hear him say that though, does it seem to you that maybe he is suggesting he might fight it?
ZIEGLER: Yes, I mean, either fight it. Didn`t see it coming, was blindsided, probably knowing there is things in the marriage that are going wrong and Katie perhaps isn`t happy.
But apparently, she is gone. I mean, she is leaving him. She is filing for divorce, or filed for divorce under a secret name. And you know what? He is probably really upset, so I think there could be a battle and I think it`s going to be over Suri if it`s not over money.
HAMMER: Yes. It`s going to be very interesting to see if we ever do know what the real story was here, what it was about, because if it was her filing and him sad, you know, there is obviously something at play here.
And one thing we do know - and Carlos, you mentioned we haven`t seen them photographed together recently - is that Katie was not standing by Tom`s side recently when he was promoting his new movie, "Rock of Ages."
And in fact, when SHOWBIZ TONIGHT spoke with Tom at the film`s premiere, we actually joked with him about which rock star he would look to kiss, and here is what he told us.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What rock star, a past, living, from any period - and you know, there is, Stevie Nicks, Debbie - we`ve got so many rock stars out there. Which rock star would you most loved to have shared the kiss with?
CRUISE: I don`t know. I don`t know. I don`t know which one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really?
CRUISE: I don`t know. I don`t know. I don`t know, man. I don`t know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Regardless of what is happening, he still has perfect teeth. You would never know, by the way. You listen to Tom`s response there. You see the big smile on his face.
And he is a true professional, but we never could have known seeing him at the premier that anything was wrong in his marriage. But of course, Katie wasn`t there to support him.
And Carlos, that really is a far cry from what we used to see. She was always present. It seemed prior to maybe earlier this year, we always saw them out on the red carpet.
I mean, I don`t look to read into that stuff because they`re both working actors. But did you take that as a sign that something was wrong?
GREER: Honestly, yes, because when Tom and Katie - when they first married, you didn`t see her without him. You know, there were photos of them, like I said. She attended every premier. She seems a doting mom, a doting wife.
And she - her career sort of took a small back seat as well to his because she is always supporting him.
HAMMER: And there were the naysayers right from the start, Vikki. I mean, that`s one of the things that always disturbs me when any celebrity couple gets married.
Right from the beginning, "Oh, it will never last." And again, I hate being cynical about these things. I really believed in it with these guys this time. But they proved the cynics to be correct. It bared out.
Did you look at the fact that they weren`t seen together very often over the past many months that maybe some trouble in paradise?
ZIEGLER: Yes, always following, obviously, these stories and celebrity breakups. What was interesting to me was she wasn`t beside him at the newest premiere and they`re trying to garner so much publicity.
You know, I think people are always saying, when somebody is having a child before they actually get married, that it is doomed from the start, and maybe they were just taking their time.
So I don`t know exactly what was, what their mindset was to wait until Suri was born - you know, she was pregnant, then they got married.
HAMMER: Right. 0
ZIEGLER: So I think everyone was saying there was a huge age difference. Nobody really thought this was going to last. But you know what? You always want the fairy tale. Everyone seems to really like Tom Cruise, other than that couch jumping incident, which you said, you know, you didn`t get affected.
HAMMER: I didn`t have a problem with that.
ZIEGLER: But you know what? We all want them to last. And you know what? This is really unfortunate because she is the one leaving him. I don`t know what is going on.
HAMMER: Well, a lot of the rumblings have been and just rumblings that, you know, Tom didn`t want to have more kids. And in fact, when he spoke with "People" magazine just a couple of weeks ago, he told "People" he didn`t plan on having any more kids at the moment.
Here`s what he said, "I am so happy with three. I`m enjoying every second with Suri that I have, enjoying the relationship with my older kids and the way it is right now."
OK. His 50th birthday is in Iceland where he`s shooting a new movie, that coming up. Carlos, any chance you see Katie showing up for that at this point and things being civil?
GREER: I mean, who knows? I mean, the fact that we haven`t seen her - this could actually get pretty nasty. There are reports out there that she is seeking sole custody of Suri.
So who knows what the situation is? They`re asking to respect their privacy. So there is not a lot of details. I don`t think she`ll be there.
HAMMER: Well, you bring up some good points that we will have to delve into. Carlos, Vikki, stay right where you are.
And our coverage of Tom Cruise`s divorce continues with more SHOWBIZ burning questions like these. What is going to happen to Tom`s $250 million fortune? Can we expect a big battle for all the money?
What about little Suri? Katie reportedly asking for sole custody as you heard. So is the divorce about to get really nasty? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CRUISE: Show me the money!
CUBA GOODING, JR., ACTOR: Yes! Louder!
CRUISE: Show me the money!
GOODING: That`s right, but you`ve got to yell!
CRUISE: Show me the money!
GOODING: I need to feel you, Jerry.
CRUISE: Show me the money!
GOODING: You`ve got to yell!
CRUISE: Show me the money!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Do you think that`s what Katie Holmes may be yelling right about now after the news Tom and Katie are calling it quits after five years of marriage?
But with a six-year-old child and hundreds of millions of dollars possibly in play, is this divorce going to get really nasty?
So will Tom Cruise have to show Katie Holmes a lot of money to end their marriage? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing coverage of the bombshell announcement today that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are getting divorced after five years of marriage.
So much money at play here. How much could Katie possibly get? Atty. Vikki Ziegler may now. She is back with us tonight, along with Carlos Greer who is a reporter at "People" magazine.
People first broke the news about the divorce today, which I am still in shock over. I really didn`t see it coming no matter what people say. And it`s been long reported that Katie signed a pre-nup.
I can tell you a lot of money at stake here. Tom worth reportedly about $250 million. Katie worth about $25 million. Vikki, as a long time family attorney, how do you see this playing out?
ZIEGLER: Well, number one, is the prenuptial agreement valid? Is it going to be enforceable? If Katie is not going to try to overturn the document, then the next question is, how much is she going to get, and what kind of child support amount is she going to get?
Suri - she`s got a lot of expenses. I mean, I have never seen her in the same outfit. So her manicure, her pedicure, all the nannies, the assistants, the transportation cost - that could be $100,000 a month. So that`s big money.
But how much is she getting under the pre-nup? Is she getting $1 million or $2 million or $3 million per year for every year they`re married? If so, that`s about $15 million.
That`s less than 10 percent of his entire estate. She may be entitled to more. She may be saying, show me the money.
HAMMER: It will be very interesting to see where this goes, how it happens, what kind of drama is involved. How do you see this playing out, Carlos? You have been following the couple since the day they got married.
GREER: Right.
HAMMER: And it was always this beautiful, amicable thing as it is when a couple gets married and then things go south and you just never know which direction the divorce will take.
GREER: It was a fairy tale. It really was. This was a couple who lived a very lavish life. You know, they traveled around the world. They have a home in California.
They have an apartment in New York. And like you said, you know, it`s going to be pretty expensive for Suri - taking care of Suri as well, because Katie, you know, their out - birthday parties, dresses, shoes. So they have a pretty expensive lifestyle.
HAMMER: He would actually have to continue to pay for her mani/pedis.
ZIEGLER: Oh, absolutely. That is a line item on the expenses for Suri.
HAMMER: How much does Katie pay for a mani/pedi?
ZIEGLER: Oh, my gosh. Well, it depends. They can get a two for one, but I highly doubt it.
HAMMER: Pay somebody in the staff for that.
ZIEGLER: Yes, they call - right to the home. You don`t see them out. They don`t get that done.
HAMMER: Well, let`s talk about the person who is really at the heart of this, and that is their six-year-old daughter, Suri. And of course, everybody`s mind quickly go to Suri.
Each of Tom and Katie`s statements reflect it, how Suri is the most important and the primary priority at this time. Katie is reportedly asking for sole custody of their only child.
Let me ask you first, Carlos. By asking for sole custody in your mind, and then we will get the professional`s opinion and hear what Vikki has to say. But in your mind does that signal that things could get nasty?
GREER: It signals things could get nasty because you are asking why? You know, why is she seeking sole custody of Suri? So it seems like this divorce could get uglier.
HAMMER: See, I see that as sort of a bad deal for Tom Cruise in a way, because now, everybody is saying, whoa, what happened there? Why does she want the kid away from him?
Not that anything necessarily happened, but I am sure people are walking around with red flags raised at this time. What do you think?
ZIEGLER: Absolutely. I mean, you usually only ask for sole custody if you really genuinely only want it because you want to protect the interest of your child.
So you really are going to say that the father is unfit in some capacity. That is the first thing I thought of when I saw she was asking for sole custody and not sharing joint legal custody which is the standard.
HAMMER: Will that necessarily be public if she has to provide that information?
ZIEGLER: Absolutely. This is all about evidence in a courtroom, so it`s going to be a custody battle if he`s going to fight it.
And I would highly doubt that he`s going to allow her to have sole decision making over the health, welfare and education Suri and back away.
HAMMER: That would be shocking.
ZIEGLER: Absolutely.
HAMMER: All right. Vikki Ziegler, Carlos Greer, thank you both so much. And we move on tonight to SHOWBIZ on location on "The Talk."
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location with the other ladies of daytime TV. I`m talking about the incredible crew at "The Talk." I am backstage. I`m on- stage. I`m everywhere in between. And I have your exclusive inside look at this hit chat-fest.
Plus, the real deal -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: The first time I watched this show, I said this is the craziest show I have ever seen in my life.
WAYNE BRADY, HOST, "LET`S MAKE A DEAL": I say that every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ also taking you behind the scenes of Wayne Brady`s "Let`s Make a Deal." We have Wayne revealing all the secrets about TV`s wildest game show. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRADY: It`s like being married with none of the fun. Yes. Scared the hell out of me. I love you!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is Wayne Brady on the set of "Let`s Make a Deal," TV`s wildest game show. You really never know what kind of a deal Wayne is going to offer and how it is going to turn out.
But I can tell you it is always fascinating to watch. It is SHOWBIZ on location. Now, we go behind the scenes at "Let`s Make a Deal," hosted by the great Wayne Brady. Is there anything he can`t do?
He`s a comedian. He`s an actor, a singer, a dancer and, now, of course, he`s the ringmaster in this latest incarnation of the classic game show.
Wayne thinks that all of his talents have led him to this great deal. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner is on location Wayne Brady at his L.A. home, talking deals, daytime and behind-the-scenes game show drama.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Here`s the real deal, folks. "Let`s Make a Deal" is up for its first ever Daytime Emmy award as outstanding game show.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you this wild and sometimes unpredictable show, which has been on and off the air for decades, could make a big splash at the Daytime Emmy Awards.
WAYNE BRADY, HOST, "LET`S MAKE A DEAL": I think now people recognize the fact that the show is actually a show.
TURNER: Brady, who served as host for three seasons, comes from an acting background. Audiences may remember his off-the-cuff, unscripted and improvisational work on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
The deal-making host recently invited SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to his Los Angeles home and told us how he found himself wheeling and dealing with the contestants.
BRADY: I`m not a game show host. I`m an actor who is an improvisational cat and fun and musical and whatnot. So I don`t go into the role going, "All right. Welcome to `Let`s Make a Deal." I`m like, "I am just going to be me."
TURNER (on camera): But that improv background had to be like - helped you so much in this role?
BRADY: Oh, well, that`s why they knocked on my door, you know, because I don`t think they wanted just a host. I`m right in the middle of this cacophony of madness.
Banana - I want a banana.
TURNER: Madness, sometimes downright bananas as hopeful audience members come dressed up in some eye-popping costumes.
BRADY: Whoopee cushion. Whoopee cushion.
TURNER: Are those the costumes - you get those costumes a lot where you`re like, "Can`t show that."
BRADY: Every day.
TURNER: Too much.
BRADY: Oh, yes.
TURNER: Too risky.
BRADY: You should have pants on, on the show. Next. Curtain one.
TURNER: First time I watched this show, I said, this is the craziest show I have ever seen in my life.
BRADY: I say that every day. I say that as I am in the middle of it. If you ever look at my eyes, really - I`m just going, "Oh, my gosh." But it`s fun.
I`m taking the curtain.
TURNER (voice-over): But it`s not fun for everyone as many wide-eyed contestants end up on the wrong side of a deal and go home with some absurd prizes.
BRADY: It is a monster van. It has wheels.
TURNER (on camera): Do you ever cringe or feel for people when they give all their money and they get like the rubber ducky?
BRADY: This is going to sound cold, but as a rule, no. And I`ll tell you why - because it is a game. So when someone gives up something, I`m saying, "This is in your face." I know, Wayne. That could be a car.
And then we open it up. There is a rubber donkey battling with Godzilla in mud. I have to go, "Hey, enjoy."
Congratulations.
TURNER (voice-over): It`s those enjoyable moments Brady tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that caught the attention of the Television Academy.
BRADY: If you tune in to any random time, you will see something happening where we`re breaking piggy banks, cash being spilled out of that. There`s an ape over here.
All you know is that it is good and there is nothing like it in daytime.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Wayne Brady hanging out with all the characters. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner joining me right now from Hollywood. N
Nischelle, Wayne obviously such a talented guy, has to have been a lot of fun spending some time at his home with him.
TURNER: A.J., it felt like I was sitting in the audience at a comedy show, just cracking up, laughing. That`s because that`s how I felt. He is such a funny guy. He really was putting on a show.
But you know the thing I found the coolest about him? He loves being a dad. And he has this great - you know, we all had a tree house or wanted a tree house when we were l were little. But his daughter has a huge mini-mansion outside of their front house.
HAMMER: Of course.
TURNER: It`s so cute. And he loves playing with his daughter.
HAMMER: That`s what you get if Wayne is your dad. All right. Nischelle, thanks so much. Now the SHOWBIZ lineup at the bottom of the hour on this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on location. Lady Antebellum unplugged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) I am just fascinated and blown away by the fact, not once, but twice, American Idol judges just turned you down. You didn`t get anywhere in the competition. First of all, when that did happen were you devastated?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
We are on location with multiple Grammy Award winning country trio and they`re coming clean about that "American Idol" confession.
And talking it up with the ladies of "The Talk." I`m on the set with the brand-new darlings of daytime and they`re sharing their secret plan for total TV domination with me. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on location at the premiere of "Madea Witness Protection." We caught up with one of the film`s stars, Tom Arnold, who revealed why he loves Tyler Perry as Madea so much.
TOM ARNOLD, ACTOR: When he dresses up as Madea - by the way, Tyler Perry is Madea. I do not want to ruin that for everybody. The guy is 6`4". He`s a big guy.
So they put the padding on. He hates it. It takes four hours and he hates it. So he set up a shot downstairs, going to the 25th floor of the building.
He sets off a shot downstairs with the second group, goes and gets his makeup on. He takes a peek of the shot they`re about to do. He is about to do a shot as Madea, right? It is wrong.
So he has to go down the elevator as Madea, go on the street where there are 300 people following him around at all times and kick butt with the crew that has got to tell him they did it wrong in his voice.
I have a lot of humanity for somebody that has to go through that. It made me love him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Right now, on a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, SHOWBIZ on location with secrets from behind the scenes of "General Hospital." Almost 15 years of the heart-pounding drama. So what is the secret to this iconic soap`s success? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is on location on the set of "General Hospital."
And it`s the talk of the town. I go one-on-one and behind the scenes of the daytime chat-fest, "The Talk."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(on camera) So here I am, backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It is very exciting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Very exciting. I am backstage with the daytime`s hottest ensemble and I am getting the ladies to reveal why they think everyone is talking about "The Talk."
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. Tonight, SHOWBIZ on location with the secrets of "The Talk" revealed. So if you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of the growing daytime hit, well, I had a great pleasure of being a guest on "The Talk."
I caught up with the show`s hosts the morning after the Daytime Emmy Awards, why I am wearing my tux here. But what really goes into being a guest on a talk show?
Right now, I have a rare look at how it all comes together at "The Talk" and how I prepared for my appearance from the producers, to the crew, to the audience and of course the lovely, lovely co-hosts. You get to see it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera) All right. We`re here at "The Talk." I don`t put my tuxedo on during the day for anybody, you know. They promised me that they were going to be wearing their gowns, which is why I`m wearing my tux.
If they`re not wearing their gowns, I`m going to be really ticked off. I won`t be really ticked off. I think they`re going to have me clean up and serve some food while I`m here.
GLENN MEEHAN, SUPERVISING PRODUCER, "THE TALK": A.J., just so you know - just take a look at the intro. First of all, we`re going to bump into the whole segment. You`re going to be in the B block. You`re bumping into the ladies on the stage.
HAMMER: OK.
MEEHAN: So it works right into your Barbara Walters clip. So here`s the intro. I`d like you to see it so you have everything in there that makes you happy.
HAMMER: I`ll tee up the tape (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
MEEHAN: Yes.
HAMMER: We`ll react to the tape, and they`ll set me up to bring in the next guest.
MEEHAN: Do you want a card?
HAMMER: No, because it sounds like they`re - even though I`m tossing to the clips, they`re going to be moving it along.
MEEHAN: Yes. Yes, exactly, don`t worry about it. I`ll talk to you a bit before they do the pre-shots. So I`m going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE). You`re going to get to the table.
HAMMER: And they are in their gowns? I`m checking again.
MEEHAN: Yes. Yes.
HAMMER: OK. Just so you know, this is - I`m wearing a tux.
MEEHAN: He always wears it, always. Every time I see you. Do you need makeup?
HAMMER: I`ll probably just a touchup before I go on, but I`m ready.
MEEHAN: All right. You`re ready? We`ll let you know.
HAMMER: All right.
MEEHAN: I`ll see you in a bit.
HAMMER: Thank you so much.
HAMMER: Did you see that? It looks like I have been here a long time, like I have been part of the show forever. Everything seems to be coming together. I think this is going to work.
OK, so here I am. I`m backstage at "The Talk," about to go on live television across the country. It`s very exciting. I`m made up. I`m miked up.
I`m wearing my tux because I was promised the ladies of "The Talk" are actually wearing their gowns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome A.J. Hammer to the stage, everybody. Hello, A.J. Here we go. We`re back. We`re live. Applause!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
SHARON OSBOURNE, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": Having a little bit of fun with the ladies at "The View." Anchor and host of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN, A.J. Hammer.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OSBOURNE: Now, A.J., you have covered every aspect of the show - red carpet, backstage, the awards, everything.
HAMMER: And it was spectacular. And I have to believe when you guys went up on stage -
OSBOURNE: People get us confused with another show all the time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So ladies, let`s introduce ourselves. I`m Barbara Walters.
OSBOURNE: I`m Sherri Shepherd.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m Joy Behar.
HAMMER: Perhaps in the back of your minds, you were wondering, well, this is fun. But I wonder what Barbara Walters thinks of all this.
It has to have been running through your minds. Well, it just so happens I exclusive asked her for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
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(on camera) I must get your very first reaction to your colleagues from "The Talk" getting on stage and introducing themselves.
WALTERS: You know what? I thought they couldn`t have been more generous or adorable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a class act, a class move, absolutely.
HAMMER: And it was all in good fun.
OSBOURNE: And much respect to Barbara Walters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of time at the award shows, you`ve heard a lot of acceptance speeches. Was there any that stood out for you on the night?
HAMMER: On Saturday night, one in particular, actually, Tony Geary who, of course, plays Luke on "General Hospital" for over 30 years.
And it was so touching to see despite the fact that he`s played this, he is the winningest actor in all of daytime TV. He was so humble to have accepted this award.
And it was great. I spoke with him backstage as well and he was practically crying. It really - it meant to world to him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, A.J. I`ve got to ask you, is it true that a daytime diva slapped you?
HAMMER: You know, when you`re on the red carpet, you have to be careful what you say to people, Sheryl. I don`t know, apparently, I said the wrong thing to really the grand dame of night, Susan Lucci.
And if you actually hit me, it actually would be a badge of honor for me.
SUSAN LUCCI, ACTRESS: Oh, no way I am hitting you.
HAMMER: Give it a whirl. Come on. Let`s go. Here we go.
LUCCI: You!
HAMMER: Pretty good. Do I get the Emmy nomination?
LUCCI: Oh, you get the trophy.
OSBOURNE: A.J., thank you so much for joining us. It`s always a pleasure. You can watch A.J.`s exclusive backstage coverage of the Daytime Emmy Awards tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT at 11:00 on HLN. We`ll be right back. Don`t go away.
HAMMER: That was fun. I`ve got to get back over to the HLN headquarters here in Hollywood to do our show. That went pretty well, right? It seemed to have gone pretty well. But I love the ladies of "The Talk." I can`t wait to see them again.
All right. So we`re wrapping it up. I`ve got to get back to the show. I think it went pretty well here, but I wonder what the ladies think of me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was awesome. I mean, I was just - you know, telling somebody else who was here when a guest comes on that fits in with us, it`s so obvious because there`s just a rhythm. No one is stepping on each other`s words or anything like that.
OSBOURNE: He`s such a professional, so easy. It just flowed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Smooth.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Handsome fellow.
OSBOURNE: It does help.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes lord. And he looks good in his tux, and I think we should take him everywhere we go.
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HAMMER: What are they possibly talking about? So humbling to hear them all say that. So much fun to spend some time with the ladies of "The Talk." And it was great being a guest for a change. I like doing that.
And I want to thank all the hosts, everybody over at the show for making me and our entire SHOWBIZ TONIGHT crew feel so welcome. The whole gang there at the show, really, really amazing. Make sure you check out "The Talk" every week day on CBS.
Well, tonight we have soap secrets. At a time when daytime drama fans have seen some of their shows come to an end, the classic soap, "General Hospital" is still going strong after nearly 50 years.
So why are fans still gripped by that fantasy trip to Port Charles every weekday afternoon? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Nischelle Turner goes on location to the set of the soap "General Hospital" and learns the secrets of the show`s success.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just pretend we are not here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get out.
NISCHELLE TURNER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A little comedy, a little romance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You took them both away from me.
TURNER: And a whole lot of drama. It is the classic recipe that`s been cooking for nearly 50 years, Monday through Friday afternoons on TV`s "General Hospital."
FINOLA HUGHES, ACTRESS, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": The longevity of the show has been because of the characters written and the fact that people really feel like they know us and they want to spend their afternoon with us.
TURNER: Finola Hughes is a familiar face to long-time fans of "General Hospital." She first showed up to the fictional town of port Charles back in 1985. She left the soap scene for many years but was lured back five months ago by the show`s new executive producer, Frank Valentini.
HUGHES: He is on the side of the actors. He stays out here with us, to make sure that everything is real and entertaining and truthful.
TURNER: Valentini himself moved over from "One life to Live" when that show came to an end in January. He has brought allowing some crossover characters, brought back some favorites and added some fresh faces. It`s all part of Valentini`s strategy to keep "General Hospital" thriving with fans and appealing to a new audience.
FRANK VALENTINI, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": Not only does it need to be entertaining, but it also needs to be relevant. It needs to be part of everyone`s life in 2012.
So keeping the show contemporary in terms of music and the way it sounds, the way it feels, the way it looks is something that is very important to me and I think we have been able to do that.
TURNER: The "General Hospital" production schedule is demanding. In today`s budget-conscious climate, the cast and crew of 300 shoot about 80- pages of dialogue a day. Compare that to some primetime dramas that shoot about 10. There is little time for retakes so the cast shows up ready to roll.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s no room for someone that cannot take the pace, the speed. You have to be on your game.
TURNER: "General Hospital" vet, Nancy Lee Grahn has been on the show for 16 seasons, one new aspect of her role, audience outreach on Twitter.
NANCY LEE GRAHN, "GENERAL HOSPITAL" VETERAN: These are the most loyal fans on television ever and they have been watching it generationally.
TURNER: The "General Hospital" team attributes much of its success the past five decades to its loyal fan base. As for the future of this classic soap, one of the show`s youngest stars sums up the continued appeal of "General Hospital" this way.
KRISTEN ALDERSON, ACTRESS, "GENERAL HOSPITAL": I think that soaps deal with every day issues. Sometimes they are a little built up, you know, under extreme circumstances, but at the same time, if you talk to anyone, everyone has a soap opera story in their life and they can relate to it in some way.
TURNER: And don`t we all love a little drama in our lives?
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HAMMER: Oh, yes, Nischelle, we certainly do. And former real housewife Bethenny Frankel - well, she certainly knows a thing or two about drama and now about daytime. I go on location with Bethenny Frankel and the set of her new talk show. How is it different?
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BETHENNY FRANKEL, TALK SHOW HOST: You are looking at TV and not seeing anything talking about anything edgy or what seems to be taboo. All the things we are talking about really are what women talk about with their girlfriend.
HAMMER: She is a brand-new face on daytime TV, but how did she get there? What is the story about how Ellen DeGeneres became her new boss? I`m on location with Bethenny Frankel.
And the fantastic Lady Antebellum`s surprising connection to "American Idol." So can you guess which of the Grammy-winning trio actually auditioned for the show twice? I get them to talk about their "Idol" experience next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, SHOWBIZ on location at the premier of "The Amazing Spiderman." "Spiderman" star, Andrew Garfield, tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, why loving Spiderman as a child, made it so much harder for him to play this role.
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ANDREW GARFIELD, ACTOR: It makes it harder in a way because you understand how important it is to so many millions of people, so it actually adds a dimension of pressure and a dimension of responsibility.
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I`m not feeling so well today. I woke up a little under the weather, and I think maybe I have Bieber fever!
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HAMMER: reality show star turned talk show host, Bethenny Frankel, is busting a new move on daytime. And I caught up with her on the set of her very own talk show.
Tonight, Bethenny revealed. SHOWBIZ is on location with reality star turned talk show host, Bethenny Frankel. That`s right. She is an entrepreneur, a mom, a wife, a reality star and now, she is one of the new faces of daytime talk.
I caught up with Bethenny on the set of her new talk show which happens to be on the same set as "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." And Bethenny revealed how Ellen became her new boss and why she thinks her show will truly change the face of daytime.
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(on camera) Look at what`s going on here. The studio audience -
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HAMMER: How is it going?
FRANKEL: It`s pretty incredible. It`s exciting. I am blessed. I`m thrilled and I`m having a great time.
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My daughter is two and she thinks she has it figured out, OK? We`re back. We are talking about attachment parenting. It really seems like it`s working out because we`re able to all just kind of have a conversation that seems like women really want to be having it.
And you know, you`re looking at TV and you are not seeing anyone really talking about anything edgy or what seems to be taboo. All the things they are talking about really are just want women talk about when they`re out with their girlfriends.
HAMMER: I think the one thing we`ve learned about you, Bethenny, over time is you`ve got a lot to say.
FRANKEL: I`ve got a lot to say and I like to listen just as much as I like to talk, so it`s actually working out well. I want to hear what all of you think and feel and are going through.
ELLEN DEGENERES, HOST, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW": That`s cute right there.
FRANKEL: It`s adorable.
HAMMER: Tell me about how Ellen came to be a part of this equation. How did she come to be the executive producer of this show? And here you are in her set.
FRANKEL: Well, to be honest with you. I was talking to the company who produces her show and I was talking to a couple other companies and it kept talking to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
I kept talking to them and kept saying, "What we they going to do?" And I finally said, "If you want to sleep with me, you`ve got to put a ring on my finger." And that day - right? That day -
HAMMER: Everything worked out.
FRANKEL: Yes. And I said it would be really great if Ellen kind of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) me, would kind of stamp me. She literally said, "I know you are talking with Telepictures. I would love to produce a talk show with you." And it was the most flattering thing because she -
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HAMMER: What went through your mind and what did you say? Was it like, "Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED)"?
FRANKEL: Yes. On "Saturday Night Live," there used to be a thing called, "Oops, I crapped my pants."
HAMMER: It sounds exactly what happened.
FRANKEL: That was me. Oops, I crapped my pants. Ellen wants to do a talk show with me.
HAMMER: You have been on this wild ride, a huge list of accomplishments. All that you are involved with, including your Bethenny.com Web site. You have, of course, the Skinnygirl Cocktails, the Skinnygirl Daily product line, featuring on-the-go bars, daily vitamin power packets, daily cleanse and restore - very important - daily weight management and energy.
You have your workout and exercise DVDs. You just published "Skinny Dipping," your latest novel. And you`re the author of self-help, diet and recipe books.
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OK. I don`t know about you guys. Listening to this, I`m exhausted reading the list.
FRANKEL: I`m exhausted - I know.
HAMMER: How do you balance that? You are also a mother. You also have a husband. How in the world do you get enough rest and really balance it? What is the trick for you?
FRANKEL: I wouldn`t say at this particular moment it`s all entirely balanced. I have an assistant and I have people that help me do certain things.
It is a lot and I do make myself get into that bed by 11:00. And I get up with my baby at 7:00. But when I`m with her in the morning, just taking - you know, taking a bath with her at night or feeding her in the morning, it kind of fills up your tank.
I make date night with my husband. I`ll go - as soon as I can get three days in a row, I`ll go away. It`s not easy, but this is such a chance of a lifetime that we all decided to make it work.
FRANKEL: Did you eat a lot when you were pregnant?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hell yes. See, I got down.
HAMMER: Congratulations on being one of the newest faces of daytime television.
FRANKEL: Thank you. Thank you.
HAMMER: Thank you so much.
FRANKEL: That was a great interview. Thank you.
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HAMMER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the studio audience. So much fun talking with Bethenny and she really does seem to be such a natural at that gig. You can catch her brand-new talk show called "Bethenny" every day. Just check your local listings.
SHOWBIZ on location continues now with Lady Antebellum. Did you know one member of the band actually tried out for "American Idol"?
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(on camera) Hillary, I am still just fascinated and blown away by the fact that, not once, but twice, "American Idol" judges just turned you down. You didn`t get anywhere in the competition. First of all, when that did happen were you devastated?
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I am on location with country superstar trio, Lady Antebellum. OK. So Hillary Scott obviously didn`t make the cut on "American Idol." But would she ever consider judging on the show? Would the guys ever do it? Their answers are coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
And now, "SHOWBIZ on location" with daytime talk show host, Wendy Williams. She reveals to me why she keeps half of her closet right there in her office.
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(on camera) Now a lot of people, particularly of your stature, hosting a nationally syndicated television show, 500 episodes in would have a separate dressing room for all their clothes.
WENDY WILLIAMS, HOST, "THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW": Right.
HAMMER: So I imagine there is a reason you have this here as opposed to another room.
WILLIAMS: Yes. Well, there are actually two other rooms that the clothes and shoes and stuff are off in. But I love to have some of my clothes around me.
HAMMER: To be surrounded by it.
WILLIAMS: For inspiration. And maybe once a week, what they will do is they will come and swap out these dresses and things and put more in. So that as I am sitting and watching TV or whatever I am doing in here, I can say, "You know what? I still haven`t tried this on. I wonder if this is so good."
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HAMMER: Just one of so many hits by the great Lady Antebellum. One of our directors, Charles Wegman`s favorites. The country music superstars are so talented, really grounded.
And I went one-on-one with the band to talk about their music and maybe a future for them as judges on reality singing competitions.
Tonight, Lady Antebellum unplugged. Would you believe one member of the multiple Grammy Award-winning country trio actually auditioned for "American Idol" and got turned away? What are they, crazy?
Hillary Scott, Charles Kelly and Dave Haywood have since performed on "Idol." They even performed on the show, "The Voice." And that got me thinking, would any of them possibly consider judging a reality singing competition? Well I found out that answer when I went on location with Lady Antebellum.
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(on camera) Obviously, you embrace the music competition shows. You`re about to do "The Voice." Would you guys ever entertain the idea of being judges or mentors on a show like one of those? If your schedule allowed, obviously, which would be tough.
CHARLES KELLEY, BAND MEMBER, LADY ANTEBELLUM: I think for us, we`ve always kind of said we always just want to keep it about the band and just our music.
And I think for us, I don`t know if we`d ever - we`ve talked about that a couple of times. I think we`d always just want to kind of keep doing what we are doing as long as we can, you know.
HILLARY SCOTT, BAND MEMBER, LADY ANTEBELLUM: I think the mentoring thing for, like, an episode or something would be really cool. But I don`t think - nothing could pull us away from touring right now, honestly.
HAMMER: Hillary, I am still just fascinated and blown away by the fact that, not once, but twice "American Idol" judges just turned you down. You didn`t get anywhere in the competition. First of all, when that did happen, were you devastated?
SCOTT: I think I remember shedding a few tears, just knowing that I hadn`t performed at my best because I was so nervous. I mean, I had never done any kind of audition like that before.
And so if anybody has gone and auditioned, it`s a lot of pressure. There are thousands and thousands of people in line to try to make it down to what will be a final 12, you know?
It`s really - it`s nerve-racking. But honestly, I would go back and do it again in a heartbeat, you know. I have no regrets.
HAMMER: And by the way, when you did play "American Idol," did a producer pull you aside and say, "Wow, we really screwed up"?
SCOTT: You know what? I don`t have any hard feelings, and truthfully, it was pretty validating, standing up there.
HAMMER: Obviously, the best thing, the hidden sort of thing here was maybe it was one of the best things that probably happened to you, because this probably wouldn`t exist.
SCOTT: Definitely. It wasn`t that long after, and I had a development deal on another label in Nashville as a solo artist and did a showcase and was all excited and hyped up about it and thought that I, you know, was going to get this record deal.
And then they said no and they passed. And it was the biggest, most heartbreaking career moment of my life at that point. And literally - that was in March of 2006. I met Charles and Dave in May of 2006. So when God shuts a door, he opens a window.
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HAMMER: I must say I had such a good time talking to the guys. A here`s a fun little factoid for you. Actress Katherine Heigl is married to Charles Kelley`s older brother, the singer Josh Kelley. I think that`s pretty cool.
And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And HLN continues right now.
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