Jennifer Hudson`s Heartache Revealed; Sandra Bullock and Jesse James` Divorce Finalized
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - Hudson`s heartache revealed. For the very first time, Jennifer Hudson speaks in agonizing detail about the murders of her mother, brother and nephew.</s>JENNIFER HUDSON, SINGER: It`s all like a blur. It was surreal. It was like I was outside of myself.</s>HAMMER: The Jennifer Hudson tragedy in her own words. Caught on tape. Senator Oprah? A startling new tape out today of impeached governor Rod Blagojevich talking about giving President Obama`s Senate seat to Oprah.</s>FMR. GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D-IL): She`s a kingmaker. She made Obama. She`s a Democrat.</s>HAMMER: Sandra Bullock, Jesse James - their shocking quickie divorce finalized. The "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" today. Does Jesse have any shot of winning Sandra back? Jessica Simpson`s brand-new extreme diet confessions today. A radical digestive cleansing? Suction cups on her body?</s>ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.</s>HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City with big news breaking today - Jennifer Hudson`s heartache revealed. For the very first time, Jennifer Hudson is pouring her heart out about what she went through after her mother, brother and nephew were all murdered. The brand-new revelations out today come more than a year-and-a- half after the unimaginable tragedy left Hudson devastated. Now, what you`re about to hear today will both astound you and inspire you, because SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Jennifer Hudson`s tale of survival is a story you won`t soon forget.</s>HUDSON: I feel I have seen the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows.</s>HAMMER: On VH1`s "Behind Music" which premiered last night, Jennifer Hudson is finally opening up about the shocking killings of her mother, brother and her nephew almost two years ago.</s>HUDSON: It`s all like a blur. It was surreal. It was like I was outside of myself.</s>HAMMER: All of America is reacting today to the shocking new revelations from Hudson who never talked at length about her heartbreak until now.</s>BONNIE FULLER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, HOLLYWOODLIFE.COM: I`m sure it`s taken her this long, not just to process the grief, but to be able to speak out about it and speak out about it without just dissolving into complete tears.</s>HAMMER: In just three short years, Hudson had gone from a no-name Chicago girl with a big voice to the Oscar-winning star of "Dreamgirls." But in October of 2008, her dream rise to stardom turn under to a horrible nightmare.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Superstar Jennifer Hudson`s mother and brother were found dead inside the family home.</s>HAMMER: Her beloved mother, Darnell Donnerson, her brother Jason Hudson, and her seven-year-old nephew, Julian King, were shot to death in their Chicago neighborhood. William Balfour, Hudson`s estranged brother-in-law, was arrested for the killings. He pleaded not guilty. For months after the murders, Jennifer remained out of sight.</s>HUDSON: I was pretty much secluded from everything that was going on.</s>HAMMER: Now, for the very first time Hudson revealed to VH1`s "Behind the Music" she disappeared intentionally to avoid the intense media attention on the brutal killings.</s>HUDSON: Two years straight inside my world with just family and friends coming in and out, I mean, because, of course, the press was everywhere. And it was like, "Where`s Jennifer?"</s>HAMMER: And Hudson got emotional when she talked about what made put her red hot movie career to a hold.</s>HUDSON: I was asked to do a film a lot at the same time, and I was like, I have to get adjusted to who I am now. So I can`t be another character - be another character if I don`t know who I am.</s>HAMMER: But the world got an answer to another big question today. How in the world has Jennifer Hudson been able to overcome such a horrible tragedy?</s>HUDSON: I knew if I sit here and dwell on it, it is going to be harder.</s>HAMMER: She tells VH1`s "Behind the Music" she returned to the spotlight at Grammys in 2009 less than four months after the murders. There, she won her first Grammy and she brought down the house with an emotional performance of her song "You Pulled Me Through."</s>HUDSON: It made perfect sense, me singing that song. I was definitely thinking of my family when I was singing that song.</s>HAMMER: Now, Hudson`s career is back on the fast track. She sat down with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson in May at the Cannes Film Festival. She talked about her new film project as well as something that`s helped her bounced back from her tragedy, her new baby boy, David.</s>HUDSON: He`s such a blessing. And I love it. He`s the best baby. He`s so sweet. He`s such a sweetheart.</s>FULLER: I think that Jennifer Hudson has handled this tragedy as well as anybody could.</s>HAMMER: "HollywoodLife.com`s" Bonnie Fuller tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Hudson is an example of how we all can bounce back from tragedy.</s>FULLER: She needed to heal as much as could be possible. And I think that that is the best thing that she could do for herself as a person and also, ultimately, for her career, because this way, she can now move forward.</s>HAMMER: Just amazing to me how much Jennifer has persevered through all the tragedy and done it with such grace and integrity. Wow. What an inspiration. With me right now is New York is Janell Snowden. Janell is a host with VH1 News. From Hollywood, Wendy Walsh who is a TV journalist and a doctor of psychology. And I`ve got to tell you. I`ve always thought it was really important that Jennifer not speak out about what she went through during that horrific time until she was absolutely ready to do it. Now that she has decided to speak out, Janell, what, for you, struck you the most about such an incredible and heartbreaking story that she told?</s>JANELL SNOWDEN, HOST, VH1 NEWS: I think reliving the moment when she spoke about singing at the Grammys and singing to her family, seeing the emotion that she felt there. I was there when she sang and I remember having the biggest goose bumps ever. It was so chilling because she hadn`t spoken about it. And you just knew without her having said it that she was definitely thinking of them and how incredibly difficult that must have been and to hear her say that she - to hear her brother saying to her, "You`ve got to go out. You`ve got kill this."</s>HAMMER: Yes.</s>SNOWDEN: And I think also the access that VH1 was able to get her. You know, for such a superstar, to be able to have the access to her and the new baby is not something you typically get. And so for her to allow that and be so open, I thought it was pretty impressive.</s>HAMMER: Interesting perspective on the Grammy moment, because that is so pivotal, not just for her, but for her fans as well, sitting in that audience. Wendy, for you, what struck you the most about her story?</s>DR. WENDY WALSH, TV JOURNALIST AND DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY: Well, how she actually described classic symptoms of PTSD - posttraumatic stress disorder, when she talked about going into a room and not leaving it for two weeks. Partly, that was hiding from the press. But it was also how she said she was outside of her body. I mean, people often describe that they feel numb or they feel nothing. And this is brain`s way of protecting itself from really damaging emotions that could cause crazy behavior. So she kind of did the right thing in the short term, and then, in the long term, did the best thing of all, which is create a new life, some life-affirming action, that new baby, that new attachment, something that tells her that family will always grow and family will always be there.</s>HAMMER: Yes.</s>WALSH: So I was delighted to see that, too.</s>HAMMER: And I was delighted to see now people are looking to her to see that, yes, you make it through anything. Look what I made it through. And wow, what an inspiration. All right. I do want to move on now to the big news breaking in the Sandra Bullock-Jesse James divorce. As we first reported, the divorce has been finalized. It just happened. But I can now reveal some shocking new clues today about the possibility that a reunion could take place down the line. That brings us to today`s "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint" - could Sandra and Jesse actually get back together? Or is that just an incredibly farfetched idea? Janell?</s>SNOWDEN: Incredibly farfetched.</s>HAMMER: Really?</s>SNOWDEN: This is Sandra Bullock. She is a tough cookie and she was already so resistant to marriage. So to be able to open herself up to not only the guy that hurt her so badly and embarrassed her so greatly, but to do it again - I just can`t see her going through that. But I think that because of the relationship she has with the kids, she will have to get to the point where she`s cordial with him.</s>HAMMER: Right.</s>SNOWDEN: But if he`s looking to get back with Sandra, I think he`s got - yes, not going to happen.</s>HAMMER: Well, I hear you. But if you think it is incredibly farfetched, I do want you to take a look at some clues that SHOWBIZ TONIGHT uncovered today showing maybe - not so crazy. Jesse James has just revealed that he`s moving to Texas so his girls can be closer to Sandra. Sandra told "People" magazine back in April Jesse would remain in her life and her son Louie`s life and described her relationship with Jesse as "bittersweet with a new understanding and one of forgiveness." And then, there was Jesse`s interview on "Nightline" where he revealed that by hurting Sandy, he hurt his kids but he still had some hope. Take a look at this.</s>JESSE JAMES, SANDRA BULLOCK`S EX-HUSBAND: I still have hopes of saving, you know, some sort of relationship with Sandy.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you think you can change her mind?</s>JAMES: About divorcing me? No. We`re getting divorced - 100 percent sure of that.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that what you want?</s>JAMES: Absolutely not. I didn`t want any of this.</s>HAMMER: Well, there you go and it`s happened. Wendy, to the "SHOWBIZ Flashpoint," do you think that all of these clues could make you think in any way they could possibly get back together?</s>WALSH: Well, I like to say, A.J., never say never. You don`t know the strength of those attachments especially when there are children involved. And she used the word "bittersweet." And "bittersweet" is also sweet, remember. So there may be a time of vulnerability for her where she may fall back into his arms. Maybe the kids are up late with fevers and he`s there helping out late at night. And you never know what can happen in family life and what bonds that attach these people. Never say never.</s>HAMMER: You never know. But you know, I still - I don`t see it happening. Janell Snowden, Wendy Walsh, thanks, guys, I appreciate it. Moving on now to Oprah for senator? This is wild. Caught on tape today, a startling new recording of impeached Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich. He`s talking about giving President Obama`s Senate seat to Oprah Winfrey.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thinking about the Oprah thing, I think that`s crazy.</s>BLAGOJEVICH: Yes. See, that`s where you`re wrong. She`s the kingmaker. She made Obama. We know she`s a Democrat.</s>HAMMER: Unbelievable. Also, Jessica Simpson`s brand-new extreme diet confessions today. A radical digestive cleansing. Suction cups on her body. It sounds kind of gross, right? But I`ve got to admit, I do want to know why Jess is putting all this out there. Also making news today - Bristol Palin`s unbelievable brand-new revelations about her relationship with Levi Johnston.</s>KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: A question for you, Bristol. What is your relationship like now with Levi and also it relates to him helping to raise his child?</s>HAMMER: It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. And now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.</s>TEXT: Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green get married on the big island of Hawaii. Britney Spears unveils new fashion line for Candies at Kohl`s stores.