Shocking Star Connection to the Arizona Shootings; The Kardashians Sued
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: We`ve got big news breaking today on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT - the shocking star connection to the tragedy in Tucson, including Gwyneth Paltrow`s family ties. The heartbreaking star link to the nine-year-old girl who was shot to death. And Jane Fonda`s unbelievable outrage at Sarah Palin.</s>BROOKE ANDERSON, CO-HOST: Keeping up with the lawsuits. The Kardashians sued today for tens of millions of dollars.</s>HAMMER: A brand-new, take-no-prisoners "Shore" singing showdown. The guys versus the girls. The guys sing Miley Cyrus?</s>ANDERSON: Revealed today the Taylor Swift-Jake Gyllenhaal breakup song.</s>HAMMER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show -</s>ANDERSON: Starts right now.</s>HAMMER: Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City.</s>ANDERSON: Hi, there, everyone. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood with big news breaking today - Hollywood`s remarkable ties to the tragedy in Tucson.</s>HAMMER: Yes. Absolutely startling and heartbreaking star connection surfaced today to the massacre in Arizona that included the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and a nine-year-old girl. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT learned today that Gwyneth Paltrow is a cousin of the congresswoman. We also learned today that a major TV star is a cousin of a little girl who was killed. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also tell you that they are not the only stars who have been affected by this senseless tragedy as incredible new stories surface on television today about what went on as the bullets flew.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let`s head to the south lawn of the White House for a moment of silence.</s>HAMMER: This morning, just about every channel carried today`s national moment of silence to honor victims of this tragedy.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With regard to Congresswoman Giffords` recovery, at this phase in the game, no change is good and we have no change.</s>HAMMER: Along with the frequent updates on Giffords` condition, the airwaves today were also filled with heartbreaking stories about another victim, nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green. She is the youngest of the six killed Saturday when an alleged would-be assassin started shooting in a Tucson supermarket parking lot. Fourteen others, including the apparent target, Congresswoman Giffords, were wounded.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She</s>HAMMER: This morning, CBS` "The Early Show," as well as the other broadcast morning news shows aired interviews with young Christina`s devastated parents. They talked about the sad irony that their daughter was born on the day of another national tragedy, September 11th, 2001.</s>ROXANNA GREEN, MOTHER OF CHRISTINA TAYLOR GREEN: She really didn`t look at 9/11 as so much a tragedy as the rest of us did. She looked at it as an opportunity for change, for hope. She just kept on saying everything`s going to get better. People are going to start loving each other more.</s>HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you the grief from the shooting is being felt in Hollywood. Gwyneth Paltrow`s representative confirmed to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT she and Congresswoman Giffords are distant cousins. In a statement, Paltrow tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, quote, "Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting Congresswoman Giffords, my thoughts and prayers are with her and her family, as well as the other victims of this horrible act of senseless violence." Actress Sophia Bush says she`s related to young Christina Green. On Twitter, Bush writes, quote, "There are no words to explain what my cousin`s family is going through in Arizona. How can this be? Violence is never the answer."</s>AMY ARGETSINGER, "WASHINGTON POST": This has really struck a nerve with a lot of people. It`s such a huge, tremendous and unprecedented tragedy.</s>HAMMER: But SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you some celebrities are respond together tragedy in Tucson with anger, particularly at Sarah Palin. During last year`s campaign season, Palin placed on her Facebook page a map that put crosshairs over several Democratic-controlled Congressional districts. Giffords` district was included.</s>ARGETSINGER: There has been some amount of finger pointing saying this was inappropriate talk.</s>HAMMER: There`s nothing to indicate the alleged shooter was influenced by Palin. And Palin herself has expressed condolences to those affected by the shooting. Still, actress and activist Jane Fonda is indeed blaming Palin. Fonda tweeted, quote, "Sarah Palin holds responsibility, as does the violence- provoking rhetoric of the Tea Party.</s>BARBARA WALTERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": To blame Sarah Palin, as some are doing, I think is very unfair to her.</s>HAMMER: The whole issue sparked a heated debate this morning on "The View."</s>WALTERS: I don`t think this is the time now to start finding, excuse me, other targets to blame.</s>SHERRI SHEPHERD, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": There are those people who did do the crosshairs and have Giffords` name down there. You`ve got to go to bed at night and go, "Did I have something to do with it?"</s>HAMMER: But despite the political debate, it`s the human tragedy of the shooting that`s getting the most attention today in the media and from celebrities. Paula Abdul tweeted today, quote, "Life is so precious, too precious to waste on hate and violence." From silence to sadness to anger, we`re seeing a wide range of emotions play out on TV and online today as the nation reacts to this horrible and historic tragedy.</s>ARGETSINGER: For something like this to happen, it`s just got to really hit home with a lot of people. People are very upset to watch this all happen.</s>HAMMER: I think everyone is still obviously trying to process what happened in Arizona and why. It is certainly clear that the shooting struck a major cord in Hollywood but did some Hollywood stars go a little too far in pointing the finger at Sarah Palin? Now, the map that Sarah Palin posted on her Facebook page with those crosshairs all over the U.S. has been taken down. But stars like Jane Fonda said, "You know what? That`s not enough. And yes, Palin bears some of the blame for the violence." Listen to what she tweeted, "Sarah Palin holds responsibility, as does the violence-provoking rhetoric of the Tea Party." I want to bring in radio host, Cooper Lawrence, who is also the author of "The Cult of Celebrity." Cooper, I get why Fonda is so fired up. I totally understand it, but do you think she went too far in the way that she cornered Sarah Palin as she did?</s>COOPER LAWRENCE, SYNDICATED RADIO HOST AND AUTHOR: The thing we love about celebrity is that, in a lot of ways, they reflect us, what we are feeling, what we`re thinking at the time. And I think there`s a lot of people that do fall into the category of "I agree with Jane Fonda." Then, there`s people that don`t. But I think they are a good reflection of what`s going on in society right now.</s>HAMMER: Yes. I agree. Absolutely, 100 percent. They`re sort of mirroring what is happening.</s>LAWRENCE: Sure.</s>HAMMER: And so many discussions that are going on all over the country, not just in Hollywood. We heard Gwyneth Paltrow call this a senseless act. Sophia Bush called the death of her second cousin, nine-year-old Christina Green, devastating. And the ladies of "The View" - they were debating the tragedy. Today, Barbara Walters defended Sarah Palin right there. Take a look at what happened.</s>WALTERS: Whether this happened because there is violence - you know, too much commentary, too much violence as you say. Sometimes we do it here when we get so angry. Whether that really spurred him on or whether he`s just a very sick person, we don`t know. We don`t know what his motives are. And we can hope that all the vitriol calms down. But to blame Sarah Palin, I think, as some are doing, I think is very unfair to her.</s>HAMMER: I do want to throw this out to Tatyana Ali, who is in Hollywood. She is the star of "Love that Girl" that premieres today on TV One. Tatyana, obviously, we know, particularly working in television, imagery can have such an impact on so many people in ways we can never even imagine. But are you with Barbara Walters here? Do you feel bad for Sarah Palin she kind of got dragged into this?</s>TATYANA ALI, ACTRESS: I think that our leaders have a responsibility for the type of language that they use, for the type of rhetoric that they use. And while the shooter, who was trying to assassinate this woman - I mean, it is an assassination, that`s why people - why it`s so terrifying to all of us. Even though he might not have directly even seen her Web site, there`s still an energy that was created by the violent rhetoric that was used by the Tea Party and used by people like Sarah Palin. I mean, the symbol, the image of the cross hairs, it affects all of us. So there is a link that people are making that I think is true and is definitely relevant. I don`t think that should be ignored at all.</s>HAMMER: I don`t either. And I think while you certainly may not be able to place direct blame, I think maybe everybody in the media and who has impact with the images may need to take a step back and say, "Oh, let me reconsider the type of imagery that I`m putting out there." But let me move on right now, because I want to lighten things up a little bit with what I thought was some rather surprising news today about Sarah Palin`s TV show. "Sarah Palin`s Alaska" has been a huge hit for TLC. However, Palin is supposedly saying bye-bye to the show. Brooke, what`s going on here?</s>ANDERSON: Well, A.J., Sarah Palin`s TLC show, "Sarah Palin`s Alaska" is reportedly not returning for a second season. Now, that is really fueling big buzz that she`s making room for a 2012 presidential run. But I`ve got to say, it`s unclear why this show is not coming back because it was considered very successful. It brought in an average 3.2 million viewers. If she stays on with the show, she would probably get millions and millions of dollars. That leads me to the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint today - is Sarah Palin making the right decision here? Cooper, what do you think?</s>LAWRENCE: You know, you go on a reality show because you want to be provocative. You want to say interesting things. You want us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT to talk about you. Sarah Palin didn`t have any of that. She kind of like sat around and, you know, discussed things and they went shooting and baked cakes. There was not a lot of controversy to it. So all she wanted from that show was to be likable, to have people go, "You know what? I could see her as president. I would have a coffee with her." And mission accomplished. That`s all she wanted was to be liked and show people who she really was.</s>ANDERSON: So she did what she wanted to do.</s>LAWRENCE: She did what she came to do.</s>ANDERSON: And maybe now she`s getting out.</s>LAWRENCE: Exactly.</s>ANDERSON: Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT reached out to TLC for comment. The network has not responded as of show time today. Tatyana, let`s say that Sarah Palin does leave the show, does run for president but then possibly loses. To the SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, do you think she would regret leaving this gold mine?</s>ALI: You know, I just want to see Sarah Palin finish one thing, like her governorship or just to stick with something. I mean, I understand, you know, leaving something and going for the bigger opportunity. But it really - that personally makes me -</s>ANDERSON: So you think she should stick around for another season?</s>ALI: I think she should stick around and do something so that if she does run for president I`ll know she won`t leave us high and dry.</s>ANDERSON: Tatyana Ali, thank you so much. Cooper Lawrence, thank you as well. You can catch Tatyana on her brand-new show, "Love That Girl," Monday nights on TV1. And now, I want to hear from you. It is our exclusive SHOWBIZ TONIGHT poll. Sarah Palin`s reality show reportedly not coming back for season two. Are you bummed? Are you happy? Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us, showbiztonight@cnn.com.</s>HAMMER: Get ready for this - the brand-new "Jersey Shore" ladies versus guys singing showdown today.</s>ANDERSON: Big news for Katie Holmes today, and it`s not good news. It`s pretty embarrassing.</s>HAMMER: This would happen. Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal break up. And now, there`s a song about it.</s>HAMMER: All right. It`s not really Taylor but it`s really funny. More of that is coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. It is time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.</s>TEXT: Demi Lovato thanks fans via Facebook for standing by her during her tough time. George Clooney, Howard Stern among first guests on "Piers Morgan Tonight."