Can Katie Couric Replace Oprah?
ANDERSON: We welcome you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m Brooke Anderson in Hollywood, A.J. Hammer in New York.</s>HAMMER: And there`s big news breaking in "The Buzz Today." Brooke, Gwyneth Paltrow is outraged. Yes, she is fired up mad because she says people say mean things about her. Minka Kelly one on one with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Minka`s dramatic revelation about babies in the spotlight. Plus, Christina Applegate welcomes a new baby girl.</s>MINKA KELLY, ACTRESS: What`s more adorable than a baby? I don`t know. It`s better than being obsessed with something else. I just think we should keep the kids off the camera, you know. I think we should keep them of the weekly magazines. It`s not their choice. Poor little Paltrow? Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow just revealed she`s considering shutting down her lifestyle Web site "Goop" because people were hurting her feelings. The actress tells "Harper`s Bazaar U.K.," There were a couple of times when I thought I`m just going to stop doing it. People are so mean to me. I don`t want to do it. But then, was like, who cares what some lame person out there says."</s>BRIAN BALTHAZAR, EDITOR, "POPGOESTHEWEEK.COM": I think she takes this very personally, because it`s not like they`re criticizing a movie role. She`s being herself on this thing.</s>HAMMER: Right.</s>BALTHAZAR: So she`s taking it very personally. But does America want to learn how to de-bone a chicken from Gwyneth Paltrow? And that`s what she`s doing on --</s>HAMMER: Yes. Of course, we do. I want to know how to puree. I want to know how to slice.</s>BALTHAZAR: Yes. I will say I did de-bone a chicken off of "Goop," and it was amazing.</s>HAMMER: All right.</s>BALTHAZAR: So I think she gets a little bit of credit. But people don`t expect a movie star to be doing this kind of thing. I think that they kind of look at Gwyneth as a -- they look at her as a little bit entitled, maybe a little bit stuffy. "Time" magazine said if there`s an American`s sweetheart, it`s not her. That was in "Time" magazine.</s>HAMMER: Look, times are changing. I think you can learn to de-bone from Gwyneth, if you ask me. I do want to bring in Kristin Cruz. Kristin is the co-host of "The Mark and Kristin Show" on radio`s KOST 103.5 in L.A. Kristin, are people being too hard on Gwyneth? Or do you think she needs a reality check?</s>KRISTIN CRUZ, CO-HOST, "THE MARK AND KRISTIN SHOW": Well, I`ve got to say maybe this is big news to Gwyneth. I mean, I`ve been following "Goop" for about a year now, too. I love it. But news flash -- maybe not everybody in the world is going to love you. It`s kind of how it goes. And A.J., you know, in our jobs and on my radio show, blogging is a part of what we have to do nowadays. For Gwyneth, I think she`s just bored.</s>HAMMER: I don`t actually know about that. I think she`s got a lot to say. Look, as I said, times are changing. Stars want to put themselves out there. But they have to be ready for the criticism that comes along with that. Let`s get to another big story that is making big news today. Just in -- could Katie Couric be heading to daytime television? Brooke, could Katie the new Oprah?</s>ANDERSON: Potentially, A.J., because there are brand-new blockbuster reports today that Katie Couric is working on a new talk show that, yes, could replace "The Oprah Winfrey Show" after Oprah`s final season. And now, for our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint -- would Katie be a good replacement for Oprah. Brian, what do you think?</s>BALTHAZAR: Absolutely. I can say I`ve worked personally with Katie before, so -- and I think she`s great on "The Evening News." But what`s missing is the fun. And she is a fun person. She connects really well with celebrities, with everyday people -- these great interviews she does. And she`s stylish and fun and funny. So I think that`s what`s missing from "The Evening News" obviously because it`s hard news. Seeing her in a talk show, I think she`s going to be really in her element and I think she could be really a huge contender.</s>ANDERSON: Yes. I think that she is so talented and she could definitely do it. If she wants, I think she could be a huge success in the talk show arena. But listen to this. When we asked on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- our Facebook page if she would be good replacement for Oprah, a lot of people thought it was a terrible idea. Michelle K writes this, "I liked Katie on the `Today,` but since she left, she has lost her edge. I do not think it will last and nobody should try to replace Oprah." Jay J writes, "Ms. Oprah Winfrey will forever be a daytime diva and I don`t think anyone could replace her, not even Katie Couric." Kristin, you know, I think even Katie Couric would say that, yes, Oprah Winfrey is irreplaceable. But I think she could carve out her own side, her own niche in the talk show arena. What do you think?</s>CRUZ: Yes. Katie`s smart enough to not try and fill the Big O`s shoes. She`s not going to do that. But I do think that maybe we`ve forgotten the "Today" Katie, who was kind of fun in that Meg Ryan type of just, you know, morning best friend -- the scenario. She was fantastic. She`s taking a different role at night. That`s not the Katie we will see if she did a daytime talk show. I think she`ll be great, too.</s>ANDERSON: Yes. I think she`d be excellent. And Brian, don`t you agree she`s not going to try to replace Oprah.</s>BALTHAZAR: I think that would be the first thing that she would say. She`s not going to be anyone but herself. And that`s she has to do to succeed. The only she`s going to pull this off is be authentic Katie. And that`s what America fell in love with so long ago.</s>ANDERSON: Brian Balthazar, Kristin Cruz, thank you both.</s>HAMMER: Well, let`s move now from Katie possibly taking over for Oprah to Snooki taking over Washington D.C., Brooke.</s>ANDERSON: Oh, boy. Snooki gets political, A.J. Snooki hits the nation`s capital to participate in the D.C. auto show. And what really got Snooki`s motor running -- talking about U.S. presidents and which one is the hottest. Watch.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Out of Bill Clinton, George Bush and Obama, who`s the hottest?</s>NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI, REALITY TV STAR, "THE JERSEY SHORE": I thought George Bush was pretty cute for an old man.</s>HAMMER: She never disappoints there. Watch out, President Bush. Snooki likes you.</s>ANDERSON: Maybe Snooki will want to take "The Jersey Shore" down to Texas,</s>A.J. HAMMER: Now, before they can do that, of course, Brooke, the stars of the hit MTV show were taking their wild and crazy antics off to Italy. Here`s what Snooki had to say about that little trip.</s>POLIZZI: All we know is that we`re going to Italy for season four. I have no idea where in Italy or what our house looks like. But I`m very, very excited because I`ve never been out of the country before.</s>HAMMER: I could listen to her all day. Snooki also said that she`s going to use Rosetta Stone to learn how to speak Italian.</s>ANDERSON: Well, I`m thinking that her first words in Italian might be "gym," "tan," and "laundry," right.</s>HAMMER: That would make perfect sense. All right. We move now from Italy to China. Is the Chinese government really using Tom Cruise`s "Top Gun" to train its troops?</s>MOOS: China`s state television, CCTV, was showing a training drill that sure looks like the final dogfight in the movie, "Top Gun."</s>HAMMER: New details today about a so-called "Top Gun" switcheroo. More stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.</s>TEXT: Tyler Perry is the new "Alex Cross` in new film based on James Patterson character. Anne Hathaway, Mila Kunis to appear in "Vanity Fair`s" Hollywood issue.</s>ANDERSON: It is time now for the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT buzz list. Here`s where the Showbiz Tonight staff is buzzing about this week. The Super Bowl halftime show is going to be off the hook with one of my favorite group, "The Black Eyed Peas." Ricky Martin`s new CD, "Music + Soul + Sex" is out today. Love Ricky`s new sound. "Bringrr" -- it`s a new device that makes sure we never leave home without mobile phone ever again. And Show Time`s "Shameless." William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum are amazing in this. And Rihanna`s provocative new music video for "S & M" is out. Watch if you dare. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views.