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SHOWBIZ TONIGHT

Basketball Players Confront on Tape; Will Lance Armstrong Admit to Doping?; Former Miss Alabama Finds Instant Fame; Are Psy`s 15 Minutes Nearly Up?; Countdown of Today`s Top Five Buzz Makers; ESPN Sportscaster Brent Musburger Most Provocative Celebrity of the Day

Aired January 9, 2013 - 23:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHERINE WEBB, FORMER MISS ALABAMA: I`m not even kidding you when I say I have literally been on the phone, like, all day long.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Tonight on the SHOWBIZ Countdown, watch out, Brent Musburger. Former Miss Alabama is finally responding to all the fuss you made about her looks, but will the brand-new remarks from the beauty queen who stole the show at a championship football game top our countdown of biggest buzz makers tonight?

Hello and thank you for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer.

And the SHOWBIZ Countdown of today`s top five buzz makers, including a designer`s remarkable claim that Kim Kardashian is hotter than Kate Middleton is coming up.

But we`re going to begin with our first big SHOWBIZ Countdown of the night. It`s today`s top three showdowns. Let`s kick it off with No. 3. It`s the caught-on-tape showdown.

New York Knicks basketball star Carmelo Anthony waiting after a game to confront Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett. Watch this here. You can actually see security trying to keep Carmelo away from Garnett.

So why the heck was Carmelo so upset? Well, during the game Garnett, who`s seen her in Celtic green on the left, and Carmelo got into it. Kevin allegedly talked smack on the court about Carmelo`s wife, reality show star Lala Anthony, reportedly saying to Carmelo -- get ready for this -- "Your wife tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios." And I`m thinking that must have stung, you know, because the Honey Nut Cheerios mascot`s a bee.

Anyway, we have a former reality star with us tonight in New York. Here is Mark Long. You remember him from MTV`s "Road Rules." He`s also the creator of the pocket protein. Thanks for being here, Mark.

And I can`t tell you how much protein is in Honey Nut Cheerios off the top of my head. But I can tell you that what Kevin said or is alleged to have said to Carmelo -- "Your wife tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios" -- if he actually said that I can understand why he`d be all riled up. But come on. We`re talking about two grown men here. Waiting to confront him, really? Should he have just left it alone after the game?

MARK LONG, MTV`S "ROAD RULES": Well, A.J., listen, I played sports my whole life. You know, there`s a lot of trash talking that takes place. You can make fun of my free-throw. You can say that my 360 dunk is not what it used to be, and yes, I could 360 dunk when I was younger, but that`s beside the point.

The point is, when you talk about somebody`s lady and you get a female involved, those are fighting words. I will follow you to the bus. I will take a New York City subway to your house, and I will fist fight you like a man and like a gladiator because you do not mess with a man`s woman. It`s as simple as that.

HAMMER: And you know, it sort of goes in context of what you would expect from sports stars or just on any playing field, because things are getting a little heated out there on the -- you know, on the basketball court.

Carmelo is not confirming, by the way, exactly what Kevin said to set him off, but in an interview he did later admit that he probably shouldn`t have lost his cool like that. I want to watch that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARMELO ANTHONY, NEW YORK KNICKS: I lost my cool yesterday. I accept that. Just certain things that push certain people`s buttons. It`s certain things that you just don`t say to another man. And I feel that we crossed the line.

And like I said, you know, we both had an understanding right now and we handled it the way we handled it. Nobody needs to know what -- you know, what was said. It`s behind closed doors, so that situation was handled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK. So just some things you don`t say to other men. Good to see he kind of came to his senses and at least cooled off.

Pop culture expert April Woodard is also with us tonight. So is Rachel Zalis, the editor of "New You" magazine.

And Rachel, to you first. What do you think? Is there anything wrong with Carmelo apparently defending his wife`s honor there?

RACHEL ZALIS, EDITOR, "NEW YOU": No. Those two are obviously getting a little forward with each other. But I mean, listen, honestly, trash talk and basketball are like Lindsay Lohan and trouble. They go together. But when you start getting the wife involved, that`s a little too personal. So I think Carmelo had a little bit of a good reason to be pretty pissed at Garnett.

HAMMER: Yes. And getting a little too forward with each other. I got you there. I didn`t let that one slide. Thank you.

ZALIS: Thanks, A.J.

HAMMER: By the way, it`s amazing to me how much this thing is trending today. And for one -- and this is my favorite part of it, perhaps. Honey Nut Cheerios is trending on Twitter.

Even the creator of the Honey Nut Cheerios mascot, Buzz the Bee, is responding to this alleged Lala dis. His name is Dean Yeagle. He`s a cartoonist. Here`s what he tells "The New York Daily News": "I think Buzz might be the one who would be insulted."

OK. Well, Rachel, if somebody compares your wife to breakfast cereal, I imagine maybe it is go time.

ZALIS: Yes, it`s pretty bad. And maybe he could have picked a better breakfast cereal, and she would have been happy. But it`s a tough. I don`t think any woman wants to be compared to food, by the way.

HAMMER: Frosted Flakes, Cocoa Puffs.

ZALIS: Fruity Pebbles.

HAMMER: It couldn`t have gone well in any event.

But I`d like you to now get ready for another "SHOWBIZ Showdown." No. 2 on the SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight, it`s Lance Armstrong versus Oprah, and this is going to be good.

We just learned that Oprah is going to interview Lance on "Oprah`s Next Chapter." It`s going to air next Thursday. And what her network OWN billed today as a no-holds-barred interview.

This is going to be the first time he`s doing an interview since he was stripped of his Tour de France titles for allegedly doping, of course, throughout his career, and that is something that Lance always denied. But now there are new reports that Lance is actually considering admitting to doping.

April, if Lance is going to fess up, I`m thinking that it makes a whole lot of sense to do it in an Oprah interview.

APRIL WOODARD, POP CULTURE EXPERT: Well, it really does. It really shows that power, the power that Oprah still has.

I think that, you know, a lot of people are talking about her network not doing well, but she`s still got this interview, and it`s still an exclusive interview. You don`t see Barbara Wawa doing it. You don`t see Diane Sawyer. There`s some other people that aren`t doing it.

So I think it really -- it`s a tale of how much her power still holds. And I think if he does confess to doping, it`s going to be a huge interview, and I can just see the promos going out and on Twitter and everybody being just explosive over the interview.

Did you just called Barbara Walters "Barbara Wawa"?

WOODARD: I did.

HAMMER: Check your e-mail in about 20 minutes. OK?

WOODARD: OK.

HAMMER: You`ll be hearing -- you`ll be hearing from her people.

Listen, Lance, I`m trying to question what he has to lose here if he does have something to admit. Because he`s lost his titles, as we`ve talked about, his endorsements, his chairmanship of the Livestrong Foundation and, quite frankly, a whole lot of his reputation.

Mark, it`s kind of like he`s got nothing to lose if he does admit to Oprah that he was doping. Do you think it would really change anything for him, other than obviously lifting what I imagine would have to be a huge weight off his shoulders?

LONG: I don`t think it`s going to change that much because, listen, I was raised when you are innocent. You will do whatever it takes. You will stand on the top of a mountaintop and scream forever until your innocence is proven.

And by him shying away from that and going back to Texas and kind of hiding and being a recluse after a while, it kind of shows to me and leads me to believe that he was lying. I hope he fesses up.

And another problem with this is it`s showing on OWN. I mean, I don`t know what channel OWN is. I`m sure it`s a cable channel of some sort. But if this was old-school Oprah, I think a lot of people would be dialed in, in the afternoon, watching this. But the problem that it is on OWN, I think we`ll see some clips from it. I`m going to go home and check my TiVo and see what channel OWN even is.

But I`m excited to see it. Hopefully, he`ll fess up and move on. Because this is a country that really likes to forgive. But you have to admit the problem or admit your guilt before they can do that.

HAMMER: And I am here to tell you that the Oprah Winfrey Network does, in fact, exist. I imagine you live in the Los Angeles area, so you will find it your carrier, whoever that happens to be.

And doing these interviews, actually, is one big reason they do them is to get the word out that, hey, OWN, we`re here. And it`s been working for them. I mean, the Letterman interview she did the other night was just spectacular.

But moving on and coming, talking about coming -- someone coming clean. We`ve now arrived at No. 1 on our SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight. It`s the Nicki Minaj versus Mariah Carey feud that keeps on going and our sneaking suspicion that, well, quite frankly, I think we`re all being played.

Now, we`ve all been hearing stories about these two "American Idol" judges just don`t like each other. And that started ever since that infamous blow-up during an "Idol" audition.

But last night, Minaj told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT the whole thing`s being blown out of proportion, and fellow judge Randy Jackson agrees. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICKI MINAJ, JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": It`s just unfortunate that there was, like, a little isolated event, and it got so much press, but we`ve actually been laughing and having fun.

RANDY JACKSON, JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": Mariah and Nicki are friends. I mean, you know, when you have a passion about your people, that`s what you really have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK. All well and good, right? But, April, Mariah just told Barbara Walters her beef with Minaj got so serious that Mariah hired extra security.

So here`s our countdown question. What do you think? Are we getting played?

WOODARD: Yes, we were played. We absolutely were played. The ratings have been going down. They have changed staff. We had to, you know, get some interest in this. Of course, these are two women. They`ve got to show some reality here like, you know, "Housewives." You`ve got to get these two women going at each other.

So I think we were played, and you know, when you look at the interview that Nicki Minaj made, she did kind of still take a jab at Mariah, so -- or Mimi as I like to call her. So I just think that -- you know, I think it was just to garner some interest and get people watching and ready for the show to, you know, start off.

HAMMER: And people will be watching.

So Mark, let me get some insight from you as a reality show vet from MTV`s "Road Rules." What do you think? Are we being played here with this faux feud?

LONG: Well, listen, being -- I`ve been doing reality television for 17 years. There`s two things that gets rating, A.J., is hot tubs and drama, and this is filled with drama. And I can`t wait. If the ratings dip, don`t be surprised when Randy Jackson and Keith Urban get into it in one of the episodes. I`m looking forward to that.

But it`s just -- yes. "American Idol," this isn`t the first season. We`re not all waited with baited breath to watch it come out. Will I watch it and tune in and see those two react and kind of go at it? Absolutely. I`m excited to see this.

HAMMER: Maybe all the judges should just get in a hot tub and fight.

LONG: Yes.

HAMMER: Mark, April, Rachel, thank you all so much. I have another fired- up SHOWBIZ Countdown for you tonight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEBB: I`m not even kidding you when I say I have literally been on the phone like all day long.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Miss Alabama is speaking out about her newfound celebrity. This is after legendary sportscaster Brent Musburger made her a household name. It happened overnight. Just how far can she take our fame? Just how far will she go on our "SHOWBIZ Buzz Makers" countdown? Is she going to take the top spot here?

Or will Hoda and Kathy Lee`s stunning new pledge to stop drinking wine for an entire month be No. 1? You`ve got to see our countdown of the top five buzz-making stories that are breaking tonight.

This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "Geico`s 15 Minutes of Fame."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEBB: I`m flattered at all the attention and, you know, I`m humbled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Alabama beauty queen Katherine Webb is enjoying her 15 minutes of fame, speaking out this morning about her instant football fame on "The Today Show."

Webb really stole the show at Monday`s college football championship game just cheering on her boyfriend, Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron. Webb`s beauty and the constant attention it got from ESPN commentators, literally made her an overnight star.

She`s gone from just a few hundred Twitter followers before the game to more than 200 thousand the last time we checked tonight and still counting. That`s amazing.

We learned today that Donald Trump wants her to judge the Miss USA pageant that he holds. Plus, her mom just revealed today that designers now want Katherine to wear their clothes.

The former Miss Alabama USA told "The Today Show" this morning that, while she`s flattered by all the attention, it`s all a bit too much.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEBB: You know, I`m honestly really shocked that it really took off like that, and, you know, I think that we need to draw back our attention to who the real winners are, and that`s, you know, the Alabama football team. They spent so long getting ready for the season, and they won their second back-to-back national championship, and that`s such an accomplishment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Well, Brent is right. She is beautiful. I`m not going to sit here and go, "Wow, can you see that?"

Back with us from Washington, pop culture expert April Woodard. In New York tonight, Rachel Zalis, who`s the editor of "New You" magazine. But ladies, it is pretty amazing when you think about it. Donald Trump, designers, Twitter followers. I mean, if you`d mentioned Katherine Webb`s name just a couple of days ago, the reaction would have been, "Huh? Katherine who?"

Rachel, is this a case of 15 minutes of fame, or are you like me and think, if played right, this can really last?

ZALIS: This is a huge score for her. I mean, definitely much bigger than Notre Dame at that game. And I mean, nobody gets this level of insta-fame unless you sleep with a politician. So I think that like this is definitely something she can take and run with.

I mean, she`s beautiful. She`s getting amazing offers. If she plays it smart, she can, you know, parlay this into something.

HAMMER: April, what do you think? Fifteen minutes of fame or possibly some more?

WOODARD: Definitely some more if it`s left to Donald Trump, it will be a half hour of fame because he`s jumping on the bandwagon after she`s popular. But I just think that, if she`s incredibly beautiful, I think that she can really roll with it, and her brand has just gone up. I mean, you think about the Twitterverse, she`s like 190,000 fans now and followers. So I think she should take these offers and run.

HAMMER: Hopefully, she will get some good people surrounding her. Because we all know that that can go south pretty quickly if you end up with the wrong people. But she seems lovely.

And while Katherine Webb is at the beginning of her 15 minutes of fame. There are a lot of people out there who are wondering if Korean pop star Psy is perhaps at the end of his.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETTY WHITE, ACTRESS: Psy, put your glasses on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, Psy!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, Psy

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, Psy

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK. Well, there it is again. Psy once again breaking out his monster hit, "Gangnam Style." This happened last night on Betty White`s hit show on NBC, "Off Their Rockers." He`s doing the dance with Betty and her elderly pals there.

It`s funny. It`s cute, isn`t it? Marks approximately the 10,000th time we`ve seen him do that dance on TV. April, how much longer can Psy ride this "Gangnam Style" wave?

WOODARD" Tick, tick, tick. It`s really kind of ending. I mean, I like the dance, and it`s always fun to do. You know, there`s a remix coming out, so maybe he`ll last maybe 20 minutes. But it`s coming to a close. That`s my opinion.

HAMMER: Yes. We`ve seen it before, haven`t we? What do you think, Rachel? Is this going to continue for him? Does he need to do something else really, really soon in order to continue his 15 minutes?

ZALIS: Well, I certainly think he`s going to get a lot of press for this company. He`s doing the Super Bowl ad for, which is the wonderful pistachios.

I mean, he was the biggest pop cultural phenomenon in the last year, and so this is definitely a way to prolong that by being at the biggest American football event, you know, ever.

HAMMER: And the truth is I still have to say -- this happened over the holidays. Any time this song would go on wherever I happened to be, people would break out into the dance. They apparently still love it, and his YouTube hits, they just keep on coming.

ZALIS: Let`s do it.

WOODARD: Do it.

HAMMER: No, no. Please don`t. Rachel, April, thank you so much.

We`re going to get back to extending Katherine Webb`s 15 minutes of fame, by the way, in just a bit, because she didn`t just talk with "The Today Show" this morning. She also spoke with this guy. It`s Ralphie Aversa. She spoke with him on his radio show on WPLJ in New York City. And wait until you hear what she told him. Ralphie is right here with us in just a few minutes. It`s a must-see headline-making "SHOWBIZ Newsmaker" interview.

And we have another incredible SHOWBIZ Countdown. Can`t wait to get to this tonight. It`s the top five buzz-making stories that are breaking right now. The Kim effect, the bold new claim from one of the world`s top fashion designers that -- listen to this -- Kim Kardashian has more selling power than Duchess Catherine. Is it really true, though?

And will Kim K. beat out Jennifer Lawrence`s new war? Well, "The Hunger Games" star is about to go to battle with a very powerful new enemy. I`m going to tell you who, and I`ll reveal which buzz-making story will top our SHOWBIZ Countdown.

This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Tonight blaming Hollywood. Everybody seems to be doing it right now, pointing to the violence in Hollywood blockbusters from recent mass shootings like the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut. But is there really a link between big-screen violence and real-life horrors like Sandy Hook?

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Nischelle Turner takes on that huge debate tonight in a SHOWBIZ special report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NISCHELLE TURNER, HLN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Explosions, gore, and gunshots. Violence on screen is the bread and butter of the blockbuster machine. Blaming the industry for inspiring real-life tragedy is as old as Hollywood itself. In the wake of the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, as Americans looked for answers, the head of the NRA directly linked the tragedy to Hollywood.

WAYNE LAPIERRE, NRA: There exists in this country, sadly, a callous, corrupt, and corrupting shadow industry that sells and stows violence against its own people.

TURNER: Action star and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger calls that accusation simplistic and inaccurate.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, FORMER GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA: You have to look at the gun laws, and you have to look at everything. Every aspect of it has to be looked at, rather than just one thing.

TURNER: Some stars came together after the Newtown massacre for an antigun public service announcement.

BEYONCE, SINGER/ACTRESS: For the children of Sandy Hook.

CAMERON DIAZ, ACTRESS: Demand a plan.

TURNER: But the contradiction between Hollywood`s steady diet of on-screen shootouts and the gun control message in the PSA has brought out a backlash of critics.

This YouTube remix of the ad, ridiculing the celebrities involved, matches some of them with film clips where they`re using a gun. The video has been seen and liked on YouTube by hundreds of thousands of people.

JEREMY RENNER, ACTOR: Newtown.

TURNER: But one actor in the PSA doesn`t want people jumping to conclusions about what he believes personally.

RENNER: It`s important for me to do, and it`s an honor to do. I`m for guns. I own guns. And I don`t think -- I don`t think guns kill people. I think people kill people. It`s a much deeper issue into it.

TURNER: What`s clear already is the most recent mass shootings have some in Hollywood thinking differently about their professional choices. Ben Affleck is one of them.

BEN AFFLECK, ACTOR/DIRECTOR: Filmmakers do have a responsibility. I don`t permit my children to watch a lot of things, and I`m very -- I`m on it as much as I can. But you know, as a filmmaker you also have to ask yourself, like, where`s my line?

TURNER: The man who played Rambo and made a career out of action movies, he thinks what`s seen on the screen can spill over to reality.

SYLVESTER STALLONE, ACTOR/DIRECTOR: Do films have an impact on people? Yes.

TURNER: He says he would hope movie violence comes with an underlying moral but concedes that`s not always the case.

STALLONE: If you`re going to do a film like that, that has that kind of violence, there has to be a certain morality that good triumphs over evil, and that it`s not random.

Like so many times we`ve seen in action films a guy runs in, and he`s after the bad guy, but four other people get killed on the subway. And we never even look at them. "Oh, yes, I got him myself." Boom.

TURNER: The soul searching in Hollywood seems more genuine this time. But the question is, will it really have any impact on the kinds of movies that are being made?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HAMMER: That was "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s" Nischelle Turner. So many conversations obviously going on about movie violence all over Hollywood, and it is a debate that is sure to continue for some time to come.

Also tonight, talk like a Kardashian.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAUDE APATOW, JUDD APATOW`S DAUGHTER: I`m so sick of everyone thinking that I have butt implants. I mean, why would they think that? I mean, who does that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Yes, the amazing Kardashian impression from director Judd Apatow`s 14-year-old daughter. Wait till you see this. I`m going to reveal this brand-new deleted movie scene that, for me, might very well contain the best impression of Kim Kardashian ever.

And the real Kim K. is shaking up our other incredible SHOWBIZ Countdown tonight. It`s the top five buzz-making stories breaking right now.

It`s the Kim effect, the remarkable claim from a top designer that Kim Kardashian has more selling power than Duchess Catherine, if you can believe that.

Plus, why legendary sportscaster Brent Musburger may be off the hook for making those what some are calling creepy on-air remarks about Miss Alabama during the BCS game.

Only one buzz-making story can be No. 1, though. Which will it be?

This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, on HLN.

It is time now for "SHOWBIZ Say What?" Hollywood heartthrob Bradley Cooper says hi from Palm Springs. Brad just took a turn on the red carpet at the Palm Springs Film Festival. But what`s Bradley thinking as he waves hello to all his fans?

Please, share your thought bubble with us. Head to HLNTV.com/ShowbizTonight. Fill in the thought bubble. And we`re going to share our favorite answers tomorrow on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

APATOW: I am so sick of everyone thinking that I have butt implants. I mean, why would they think that? I mean, who does that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Right now SHOWBIZ trending. This hilarious dead-on impersonation of Kim Kardashian and her sisters by the daughter of one of Hollywood`s biggest directors. And wait until you see the rest.

Plus, the SHOWBIZ Countdown, today`s top 5 biggest buzz makers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEBB: I`m not even kidding you when I say I have literally been on the phone like all day long.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Miss Alabama USA Katherine Webb speaks out today for the first time since she stole the spotlight at the BCS football championship and we have got the guy who she spoke to right here.

And "The Today Show`s" Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford make a solemn vow to give up wine? But why?

And who will be the number one buzz maker of them all?

SHOWBIZ TONIGHT continues right now.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Thank you for watching. I am A.J. Hammer.

And we are counting down the top five buzz makers and kicking things off right away with number five, and it is a big SHOWBIZ Newsmaker with someone who is making big news today everywhere, Katherine Webb, the beauty queen who stole the show at her quarterback boyfriend`s big game.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRENT MUSBURGER, ESPN SPORTSCASTER: You see that lovely lady there, she does going to offer. And I don`t he hit that. But she is also Miss Alabama, and that`s AJ McCarron`s girlfriend, OK? And right there on the right is Dee Dee Bonner. That`s AJ`s mom. You quarterbacks, you get all the good-looking women.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What a beautiful woman.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: All right. Well, ever since sportscaster Brent Musburger made the call so to speak triggering Katherine frenzy, well, she hadn`t said a word in public until now.

Katherine just spoke Ralphie Aversa. He is the host of "The Ralphie Show" on 955PLJ in New York. I haven`t said that on the air 15 years. Ralphie is also a judge with the Miss Universe pageant.

Great to see you, Ralphie.

RALPHIE VERSA, HOST, "THE RALPHIE SHOW": A.J., always a pleasure.

HAMMER: Wow. What a get. You`re the envy of everyone today, scoring this interview with Katherine so soon after Brent made her a household name just like that. And she really gave you an exclusive look into what her life has been like since. Let`s listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEBB,: Actually, the championship was last night and I didn`t go to sleep because we all celebrated last night and probably about 7:30 this morning I have been on the phone and I have not had a breath off the hook.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Yes, off the hook on so many levels. What a rollercoaster ride. What did she reveal about what the ride has been like for her?

AVERSA: Well, she didn`t sleep. She partied in the hotel lobby where the Alabama players were staying with A.J. McCarron and his family and other friends. And something, I think one of the more interesting pieces of my interview with her was the fact she currently lives in Los Angeles and is pursuing a modeling career, yet, despite her new found fame will be moving back to Alabama to focus on her relationship with A.J.

HAMMER: Wow. That`s funny. It is strange to me that`s his name because everybody is talking about A.J. the last few days. Very confusing.

AVERSA: Like, stop talking about me.

HAMMER: Her Twitter following as we have been talking about just exploded. The last time I checked she had over 200,000 followers tonight, 150,000 of those started following her soon after the big moment on television. And, Ralphie, she told you she has big plans to actually use Twitter as a platform for good which I love. Let`s listen to that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEBB: One thing that I learn, you know, my heart and my passion for it is kind of being a coach and a leader for the younger generation of kids, like I love nothing more than working with kids and doing for others and if I can at least do something, you know, positive for someone else or use that platform to kind of be an example for others, I am totally OK with that. Now, I don`t have anything else to say about Twitter except that I will definitely be careful of what I post.

AVERSA: Right.

WEBB: And just try to use good things out of it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: I mean, I hope she really is and remains that down to earth. And I am glad to hear by the way that she is going to be using Twitter very carefully, unlike the pro football player that tried to hook up with her on Twitter and accidentally tweeted out his number to all of his followers. That was bad move there.

Donald Trump tweeted out, as you know, that he wanted to ask Katherine to be a judge at the Miss USA pageant in Vegas. What else? I understand she is moving back home to spend more time with A.J. But what did she tell you about capitalizing on her fame? Because she has to take advantage of this moment.

AVERSA: Absolutely. And she did say during the interview with me, A.J., that she still plans to pursue that modeling career. One of the things we talked about, you want to be based in New York or Los Angeles, a big city, but with the Internet these days, you don`t necessarily have to be in a huge city. Heck, A.J., I was in Scranton for five years as an entertainment reporter and I was able to break stories out of northeastern Pennsylvania. So, it isn`t completely out of the question she still can`t pursue this career from Alabama. But again, it makes you scratch your head a little bit that she is already in Los Angeles and she is going to leave.

HAMMER: And you did well in Scranton and took my old job. Good for you.

No, I think she is going to do terrifically. And there really hasn`t been in controversy over the fact she has this sudden football game fame.

Well, how it all started, that has sparked a great debate. Our number four buzz maker in the SHOWBIZ Countdown, 73-year-old sportscaster Brent Musburger who fanwed all over the 23-year-old on air. Well, this morning the ladies of "The Talk" thought it was kind of creepy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was just this he is like grandpa age, you know what I mean? It is like the Viagra just picked in. Pretty. I am joking. I have no idea if he takes Viagra. He is 73. I`m sure he is strong like one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: All right. Easy does it, ladies.

Now, pop culture expert April Woodard is with us tonight.

Now, April, ESPN just apologized for Brent`s comments saying he went too far. And personally, I think he was a little over enthusiastic, nothing wrong with saying nice things about a beautiful woman. I don`t know. There was something about it.

So, let me ask you, our countdown question, was the apology even necessary?

WOODWARD: You know, A.J., I don`t think it was necessary. I mean, here is a game, it was a blowout, it wasn`t very interesting. I know when you watch football, people want to see good looking people and tight ends. And so then we see this beautiful woman in the stands and you can`t give a woman a compliment? I mean, I just don`t think that it was that big of a deal. I think that he was saying she was beautiful and she is striking. And even when they would pan to her I was like, God, she really is gorgeous.

So, you know, I just don`t think the apology is necessary. You know, maybe ESPN just felt like they should. But I wasn`t that bothered by it.

HAMMER: No. A lot of people weren`t. And I`m really more curious about what kind of conversations are going out in the Musburger home between Brent and his wife and she is probably thinking this is nothing out of the ordinary. I don`t know that. But Katherine Webb did speak out about ESPN`s apology on "The Today Show" and this is what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WEBB: I think the media has been really unfair to him. I think that if he would have said something along the lines that we were hot or sexy or made any derogatory statements like that, I think that would have been a little different. But the fact that he said that we were beautiful and gorgeous, I don`t see why any woman wouldn`t be flattered by that. So I think they have been unfair to him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: All right. Well, she wants us to pull back. I`m going to do that. Let me bring in Rachel Zalis, editor of New You Magazine.

So Rachel, Katherine Webb right there thinks that the media, we, are perhaps blowing this out of proportion. Now, a lot of people are saying well yes, but he swooned over her for a long time there. However, he didn`t say anything sexist. He didn`t really cross any major lines as far as that concerned, but a lot of people did forget there was a football game going on. Did you think it went too far?

ZALIS: Absolutely not. I mean, I totally agree with April. It didn`t come off as creepy to me. I thought it was actually kind of sweet and adorable. And I mean, he gave her such a huge moment. Unbelievable. She should be sending him champagne and caviar. I am sure the wife will be fine if they start getting some nice gifts. So I think it was totally fine.

HAMMER: But Ralphie, what do you think? You got to speak with her and got the same vibe from her that she wasn`t put off by it.

AVERSA: No. She wasn`t at all and even before ESPN issued the apology, she already said she had no problem with it whatsoever.

And A.J., let`s not forget who issued the apology though, ESPN. The worldwide leader in sports and an organization that well, doesn`t have the best reputation when it comes to women in the workplace and women in sports. I think this was an overly cautious move on their part, and it is interesting, they were overly cautious this time and they`re still receiving backlash.

HAMMER: Well, yes. But no harm done, I think, on their part for at least putting it out there.

But let`s move from the debate over the beauty queen to a brand new battle brewing over baby bumps. It is Kim Kardashian`s baby bump versus Kate Middleton. This is number three on the SHOWBIZ Countdown on buzz makers.

French designer Roland Moray, he just said that he thinks that Kim Kardashian actually is more selling power than the duchess. What`s his proof? Well, here is what he tells the newspaper, "The Telegraph". He says, "You don`t see hundreds of women running around looking like her, Kate Middleton. To be honest, we`re more likely to get orders on a dress that Kim Kardashian has worn."

Rachel, that`s one designer saying that about Kim. But I think he makes a great deal of sense and obvious point. Do you agree that Kim probably does have more selling power than the duchess?

ZALIS: Absolutely. I mean, Kate is the duchess, but Kim is the queen. You know what, A.J., at the end of the day, sex sells. More women want to look like Kim, the way she fills out that dress, than they want to look like Kate filling it out. And Kim is also very accessible. She is in people`s homes every day. They feel like they know her. Kate is a lot more elusive and unobtainable. So, it is absolutely makes sense.

HAMMER: I do think more people around world care about Kate in a way that they don`t necessarily care about Kim Kardashian.

But April, who do you think has more selling power between the two ladies?

WOODWARD: Yes. I disagree. Rachel, I am sorry. But I really think that Kate has more, and that`s because she is elusive. That is because she is intriguing and she is not so available. At any moment, you know, Kim Kardashian or her boyfriend, her baby`s daddy, could say something off the wall and just reverse everything and ruin their brand.

So. And then, you also have to look at Kardashian`s line at Sears which didn`t do so well. Here was her opportunity to sell, you know, clothes that the Kardashians wore and it was a flop. So, I disagree.

HAMMER: Well, I am certain that the baby bump battle will continue throughout their pregnancies.

That leaves us at number two on our SHOWBUZ Countdown of the top five buzz makers. Who will be named number one today? Will it be "Hunger Games" star Jennifer Lawrence? She has choice words for the paparazzi who first trail her every move. Or is it going to be "Today Show`s" hosts Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford for dropping the drink from the morning show routine?

We are going to find out who we name the number one buzz maker today, but only if you stick around.

Well, this young star didn`t make the countdown. But she is definitely getting huge buzz for the dead on impersonations of the Kardashians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

APATOW: I am so sick of everyone thinking I have butt implants. I mean, why would they think that? I mean, who does that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Yes. That sounds just like Kim to me. You have to see the rest of the deleted scene from "This is 40". And the young star whose hilarious send up of Kim and her sisters, it is going viral. We have it for you coming up.

This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Welcome back. We are counting down today`s top five biggest buzz makers.

And coming in at number five, Miss Alabama Katherine Webb`s first interviews today and a big reactions after she became a worldwide sensation and how she is handling her new fame.

Number four, 73-year-old sportscaster Brent Musburger and the great debate over his fawning over 23-year-old Katherine during the game. Did he cross the line?

Number three, the French designer sparking a baby bump showdown between Hollywood royalty Kim Kardashian and real English royalty Duchess Catherine. He says Kim has more selling power.

That takes us to number two on our SHOWBIZ Countdown of buzz makers. It is "Today Show" co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee. They`re drying out.

Now, they`re know for carrying on conversations with a glass of vino on hand all the time but they announced they decided to take a break from the booze for 28 days. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHIE LEE GIFFORD, HOST, "TODAY SHOW": Yes, it is winless Wednesday for the first time in history. January 9, 2013. We`re happy you`re here. Struggling a little.

HODA KOTB, HOST, "TODAY SHOW": No, we`re not. No. We`re healthier and better. Here is what we`re doing. Look at my drink. This is a green drink. We`ll discuss it. But, let`s first of all focus on the number, 28 days until there will be nothing green in this glass again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK. And look, I think they deserve at least a slight applause even if they see their taking a break from booze a little differently than we might have thought. But good for you, ladies. It`s nice to do something different.

That takes to us number one on our SHOWBIZ Countdown of today`s top five buzz makers. And it is Jennifer Lawrence. "The Hunger Games" star is going to war with the paparazzi.

Jennifer tells all to "Entertainment Weekly" -- she on the cover of the brand new issue, it is an exclusive first look at her in "the Hunger Games" sequel "Catching Fire." Jill Bernstein is the executive editor of "Entertainment Weekly". She is with me in New York.

All right, Jill. I want to read what Jennifer says about the paparazzi because it is pretty stunning and they follow her every move while she was making this move any Hawaii, "Catching Fire." They were all over her, so I understand where she is coming from.

"I completely let it ruin my day. I wrap myself up to look like Lord Voldemort so that they can`t see anything because the thought of giving them a picture that will make money absolutely infuriates me. When I first started acting, I thought it would be annoying and that`s how you imagine it when you see other people in paparazzi shots, but you don`t imagine that it is actually terrifying to have people lurking around your house. You`re just a girl driving in a car and looking in a rearview mirror with all of these men following you. It is actually scary. I just want them to know that I hate them."

That`s my mature stance on it. Jill, she sounds really angry. Is she genuinely that angry?

JILL BERNSTEIN, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": As a person, no, she is not that angry. She just has a real problem with people invading her space. She`s a very plain spoken woman, does not pull her punches and says exactly what she feels. Other actresses might like the attention or, I don`t know, not hate it this much. But she hates it and she feels violated and I think she is probably has a lot of good company.

HAMMER: Well, I appreciate her candor about that. And also this, she is talking about not having to look emaciated this time around. Here is what she tells your magazine "EW".

"The first movie was called "The Hunger Games." But there was never a point where I need to lose weight. And with this movie I still train, but I really won`t ever diet no matter what people say to me like, hey, you`re in this movie, lose 10 pounds. I say, how about I lose three and it is going to be a lot of hard work and I will gain it back in two weeks?"

Jill, I love her attitude. What else did she reveal to you?

BERNSTEIN: Oh, God, she tells us all sorts of things. She told us about a big fun party she threw while the film was shooting in Atlanta where it was a really rough and tumble party and everybody started rough housing and she wound up at one point with Woody Harrelson`s dirty sock down her mouth all in good fun. But she really -- I mean, she talks. She is great.

HAMMER: She has a great spirit and I think a terrific career ahead of her.

Jill, thank you so much. The new "Entertainment Weekly" issue with the exclusive first look at Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games" sequel "Catching Fire` is on newsstands right now.

Well, Kim Kardashian obviously, there was all too well what it is like to be chased by the paparazzi. But right now it is not the photos that are watching Kim.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

APATOW: I am so sick of everyone thinking I have butt implants. I mean, why would they think that? I mean, who does that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: It`s pretty great, right? Do you have any idea who it is? It sounds like Kim K. to me. I have to show you the rest of this. It is a deleted scene from the movie, "This is 40". It didn`t make the final cut. But you also get to meet the young star who nails her impersonation of Kim and her sisters.

It is SHOWBIZ Trending tonight and it is coming up next.

This is SBT. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

APATOW: God, it has really gotten out of control. I mean, I really thought that he was going to change now that we have a baby.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: I love this. That is director Judd Apatow`s 14-year-old daughter doing what I think is a pretty amazing impression of Kourtney Kardashian. This comes from a deleted scene from her dad`s hilarious hit movie, "This is 40." Maude`s brilliant impression is going viral now. We`re revealing it right here to you on SHOWBIZ Trending.

She is just 14 years old, but Maude Apatow has already clearly inherited her director dad`s gift for comedy. Now, if you have seen "This is 40," you know Maude is just incredible in Judd Apatow`s the new hit comedy. But there is no way you would know that her talents include what I think is one of the best Kim Kardashian impressions ever.

Watch Maude take on Kim, Kourtney and Khloe in this brand new deleted scene from "This is 40." It`s on "Funny or Die".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

APATOW: I feel like Khloe is the smartest. I feel like Khloe is kind of the smartest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Smartest.

APATOW: Well, out of all of them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, that makes more sense.

APATOW: But, she gets so annoying when she does the nasally voice, when she is like, "Lamar", like that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She doesn`t do it like that. She is like, "Lamar, Lamar, baby."

APATOW: "Lam, lam, I`m sorry I have to miss the Lakers game but I have to go to dash." But then, there is Kourtney, and I like Kourtney. She seems the most responsible. I just feel like she doesn`t really - but, whole Scott thing, it is just hard because she loves him, but he is really out of control. She`s like, "Scott is really gotten out of control. I mean, I really thought that he was going to change now that we have a baby."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She gave up a lot for that boy. He just goes out and drinks. He`s kind of my role model.

APATOW: But then Kim, Kim works so hard. Like after watching all of those episodes, the one thing you really, like, take from it is that Kim really works. She has got that high voice that kind of sounds like Khloe`s voice and Kourtney`s voice combined.

Like, "Yesterday we went to the store and I saw Mason and Kourtney and we had so much fun. I am so sick of everyone thinking I have butt implants. I mean, why would they think that? I mean, who does that? "

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That explains everything. Butt implants.

APATOW: She didn`t have butt implants though. Did you see the episode where they, like, did an X-ray on her butt?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How does it get that big?

APATOW: I don`t know. But it just is. It is not -- there is no butt implants.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: And yes, you know, Maude is totally right. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT so totally verified that Kim Kardashian does not have butt implants. I am so happy they posted that.

Well, the Kardashians are often provocative, of course, but even they couldn`t compete for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s most provocative celebrity of the day today. Who takes the prize? Was it the NBA star that is took the feud off the court or maybe the pop divas at the center of their own battle?

You`ll find out who the most provocative celebrity of the day is next.

This is SBT, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HAMMER: Right now it is time for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to name the most provocative celebrity of the day. It was a tough battle for the top spot with two NBA stars taking their feud of the court, but it was a celebrity from another sport that scored the honor.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MUSBURGER: You see that lovely lady there? She does going to offer, I want to admit that. But she is also Miss Alabama, and that`s A.J. McCarron`s girlfriend, OK? And right there on the right is Dee De Bonner. That`s AJ`s mom. Well, you quarterbacks, you get all the good looking women. What a beautiful woman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A.J. is doing some things right.

MUSBURGER: So, if you`re a youngster in Alabama, start getting the football out and throwing it around the backyard with Pops.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: OK. Well, ESPN`s sportscaster Brent Musburger, you are the most provocative celebrity of the day. Musburger parked an all out frenzy after the comments about Miss Alabama USA, Katherine Webb, who was just watching her boyfriend, Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron win the BCS football championship. ESPN did issue an apology saying that Musburger crossed the line and he knows it.

Now, the whole flap over Musburger`s comments fired up a pretty heated debate. Some people arguing, hey, you know, this was no big deal. But others were saying it was wrong for him to practically be drooling over her. My bet is the whole thing is going to blow over pretty quickly.

Can`t say the same thing for Katherine Webb`s newfound fame. It looks like all the attention is really turning into a big jackpot for her. Her mom says designers are calling. Donald Trump also is eyeing her for a job and maybe Musburger shouldn`t have gone on and on about Webb`s beauty, but it may very well be a case of all is well that ends well.

Right now, chilling crime scene revelations today in the Jodi Arias` murder case. What is the medical testimony reveal about what really happened that night.

"DR. DREW" with the stunning developments right now.

END