Jon Gosselin Responds to Kate Major`s Claims; The Cougar and the Kid
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Right now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Jon Gosselin responds today for the very first time to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s shocking exclusive interview with the other Kate.</s>KATE MAJOR, FORMER TABLOID REPORTER: I despise him.</s>HAMMER: She`s the Kate who claims she had a romantic relationship with Jon Gosselin.</s>MAJOR: For him to say there was no romance is a complete lie.</s>HAMMER: And you only saw her on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, the stunning around-the-world reaction today to Kate Major`s explosive challenge.</s>MAJOR: And I will take a lie detector test, and I would love for Jon to take a lie detector test.</s>HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT dares to ask, is Jon Gosselin turning into one of the most despised men in America? The cougar and the kid - Hulk Hogan`s ex-wife Linda. She is 50; her boyfriend is only 20. And tonight, for the very first time, they are speaking out together about their bizarre cougar-rific(ph) relationship. Plus, Jessica strikes back over her missing dog who was snatched by a coyote. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.</s>MAJOR: No, I think I was in lust with him.</s>HAMMER (voice-over): From headlines on "People" magazine to "OK" magazine, everyone is talking about SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s explosive, exclusive interview with Kate Major, the former tabloid reporter who told me she and Jon Gosselin of "Jon and Kate Plus 8" had a torrid romance soon after he separated from his wife, Kate Gosselin.</s>MAJOR: He called me the new Kate and referred to Kate Gosselin as his ex- Kate or the old Kate.</s>HAMMER: Now, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Jon Gosselin is hitting back hard. Today, in a brand-new statement exclusive to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Gosselin calls Kate Major, quote, "damaged goods" and refers to the "stench of patent falsehoods." It`s a new bombshell in the bitter he said, she said battle.</s>MAJOR: He made his bed so he has to sleep in it. And unfortunately, it was with me.</s>HAMMER: In her interview, Major shared with me her current feelings about Gosselin. (on camera): Do you hate him now?</s>MAJOR: I despise him. (voice-over): And she issued this challenge.</s>MAJOR: I will take a lie detector test and I would love for Jon to take a lie detector test. Because for him to say there was no romance is a complete lie.</s>HAMMER: In today`s new exclusive statement to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, Gosselin continues to deny any relationship with Major. His attorney writes Major`s claims are, quote, "a fabrication designed to create a salacious newsworthy buzz that would facilitate a payday for her. She clearly ahs succeeded in that endeavor. But regrettably, she has also painted herself into a corner-labeled damaged goods. Jon believes that the public is smart enough to appreciate the motivation behind statements from people like Kate Major." And in a final dig, the statement concludes, quote, "The public doesn`t need a lie detector to identify the intense stench of patent falsehoods."</s>JO PIAZZA, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: Everyone seems to have an opinion on this relationship.</s>HAMMER: Entertainment journalist Jo Piazza tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Jon Gosselin has a lot of work to do if he wants to rescue his image which has taken a hit, thanks to Kate Major`s claims and his romantic exploits.</s>PIAZZA: I think a lot of people believe that Jon has been acting like a prepubescent, hormonal boy, that he`s been going around and picking up different women.</s>HAMMER: After Kate Major`s explosive words to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, viewers are swamping our Facebook page. And many of them are divided on Kate Major. Lisa S. writes, "I don`t believe her. She is just in for the media." And Tiffany C. writes, "Jon is a tool going through a mid-life crisis too early."</s>PIAZZA: I think that any woman that gets dumped is angry. I think most women would love to go on national television and ask their ex-boyfriend to take a lie detector test and see whether or not he was honest in a relationship.</s>HAMMER: But some people are seeing things Jon`s way, too.</s>PIAZZA: Even from what Kate Major said, it wasn`t that huge romance. It was a few-date fling. That`s why they call it hooking up. That`s why they call it fooling around. And right now, it`s just his word against her word.</s>MAJOR: I`m not going to just go away and let Jon get away with this.</s>HAMMER: So are we going to need a lie detector test to sort all this out?</s>PIAZZA: Lie detectors should be for capital murder cases, not necessarily for, "Did we or didn`t we hook up."</s>HAMMER: Lie detector or not, things are not looking good for Jon Gosselin who is now in a middle of two battles with two angry Kates.</s>MAJOR: Jon told me that he was falling for me. He called me the new Kate and referred Kate Gosselin as his ex-Kate or the old Kate. The thing I really want to clear up is that the worst thing you can do is lie. And I will take a lie detector test and I would love for Jon to take a test. Because for him to say that there was no romance is a complete lie.</s>HAMMER: And there are people out there cheering on Kate today for calling Jon out. Carlos, why do you think everybody is so fired up?</s>CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Because everyone can relate to what`s going on in this situation. It`s all about the Rs. When you get out of a relationship, you`ve got the randoms. You`ve got the rebound girl. And then, you`ve got something real. Right now, Hailey might be the rebound girl, but I`ve got news for you, Kate 2.0. You are a random, all right? You had a random fling with Jon and you`re mad about it. And so you`re just, you know, shouting from the hilltops. And what`s Jon doing? Jon is giving the classic guy response, "It wasn`t me. I didn`t do it. I wasn`t me." And that`s making her even more mad." Yes, exactly.</s>HAMMER: Jon is saying no fling. And we heard from Jon Gosselin today through his attorney who exclusively told SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that the other Kate just dishing the dirt on this claim of the two-week romance looking for nothing more than a big payday. Listen to what the attorney tells us, "Jon believes that the public is smart enough to appreciate the motivation behind statements from people like Kate Major and they don`t need a lie detector to identify the intense stench of patent falsehoods." So Jon is saying no lie detector for him, and Kate is just out for the money. So Leslie, does that make it case closed on this? Or is Jon really adding more fuel to a pretty ugly firestorm?</s>LESLIE MARSHALL, HOST, "THE LESLIE MARSHALL SHOW": Well, I think if Jon keeps sleeping around, there`s going to be a lot more fuel because all these women are going to come out asking for lie detectors, talking about their romance even though it was a few-day fling hook-up dating or whatever. And Carlos, really great research on that information by the Rs there, by the way. But I - you know, the Kates out there - there are a lot of women. I`m married now, but years ago when I dated, we`ve all had our hearts broken. And you know, we are angry and she is angry right now. And she`s cashing in on it. So I think as long as these women like Kate Major keep cashing in on it, they`re going to continue on. And I think Jon Gosselin is, you know, acting in a way that he didn`t get to because he got married so young, etc. I`m not excusing it, but I don`t think his behavior is going to stop. And since it won`t, the women are going to continue to talk and be angry.</s>HAMMER: You kind of understand it, but I should also point out, we have no independent confirmation that Jon has, in fact, been, as you said there, Leslie, sleeping around. Now, I have been paying very close attention to all the comments on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page because there is so much fired-up reaction. A lot of people really hating on Jon more than I have seen before. Yvonne R. writing on our wall, "Jon is a two-faced jerk." Alison C. writes, "Doesn`t he realize all that he is doing is going to come back and bite him in the butt when he finally grows up and has teenage boys are behaving like good old dad?" I think that is a great point. Kate Major says she despises Jon. It seems like, judging from some of this reaction we`re seeing today, Carlos, she is not alone. So do you think, Carlos, has Jon gone from really one of the most beloved reality TV dads to perhaps the most despised man in America.</s>DIAZ: Yes. And he could have done it so much better. I could have coached him. Listen, Jon, when you get into a relationship, any girl you meet - you don`t tell them you`ve fallen for them. You say, "I am emotionally unavailable. I wish I could love you, but after that whole thing with Kate - you saw what happened. I just can`t love right now. Bu Keep having sex with me and maybe something might happen in my heart. For now, I`m emotionally unavailable. But you know what? Stick with me. Keep having sex with me and maybe something might happen in my heart. But for now, "I`m emotionally unavailable." But instead, he goes and tells them he loves them and the whole thing. And now, it`s all out of whack.</s>HAMMER: Carlos, just before you go - I don`t want to ask you if there is some big experience behind your words. Quickly, Leslie - quickly, is he becoming one of the most despised man in America?</s>MARSHALL: I think he is. And I would agree with Carlos he didn`t handle this right. You know, women love a really sad puppy. And if he just sat there and cried about the pain of his marriage, he wouldn`t have to tell the women he loved them.</s>DIAZ: Yes.</s>MARSHALL: His ex-wife is getting some points for this.</s>HAMMER: Carlos Diaz, Leslie Marshall, thank you very much. And Carlos, go write a book, man. I think you could.</s>DIAZ: No problem.</s>HAMMER: I want to know what you think. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Jon and Kate: Is Jon`s bad reputation actually helping Kate`s career?" Look at her - she might be getting a TV show. You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight or you can E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com. Well, I don`t know if it will help or hurt Linda Hogan`s career to be dating a 20-year-old. But tonight, for the first time, Hulk Hogan`s ex-and her 20-year-old boyfriend, speaking out about their bizarre, icky relationship.</s>LINDA HOGAN, HULK HOGAN`S EX-WIFE: If he was, you know, any younger, probably it would be an issue because it wouldn`t be legal. But -</s>HAMMER: Yes. Can you say cougar? Somebody please pass the hand sanitizer. Also the always fun, the always entertaining Kathy Griffin on how she chose us over "Oprah."</s>KATHY GRIFFIN, COMEDIENNE: I`m going to do SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m not stupid, but I`m passing on Oprah.</s>HAMMER: OK.</s>GRIFFIN: Yes.</s>HAMMER: Tonight, Kathy reveals her big battle with Oprah, how she chased Barbara Walters into the bathroom and what happened when she came face-to- face with Kate Gosselin after making fun of her. It`s the interview you`ll see only on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And Jessica Simpson strikes back at people making fun of her over her missing dog. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.</s>TEXT: Michael Jackson`s mom is receiving $86,000 a month from his estate for herself and three kids. Kanye West receives nine BET hip-hop awards nominations.