Britney to Cancel Comeback Tour?
MUSIC VIDEO OF BRITNEY SPEARS` "WOMANIZER") HAMMER: Uh-oh, Britney Spears` fans may not get to see her perform "Womanizer" or any her hits for that matter in concert. Tonight, is Britney thinking of canceling her much-anticipated comeback tour because of her kids? Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And tonight, the shocking news that Britney Spears may actually want to pull the plug on her brand-new tour. It is scheduled to begin in a matter of days. But now, there are reports that if her two young sons can`t hit the road with her, she is pulling out. Also new right now, the California woman who gave birth to octuplets last week and is also the mother of six other children now reportedly wants to cash in. Why she would love to sit down with Oprah Winfrey. With me now, here in New York, is Dawn Yanek. She`s the editor-at- large for "Life and Style Weekly." And in Hollywood tonight is Ken Baker who is the executive news editor for "E!" And let us begin with Britney Spears. Her the tour, called "The Circus" starring Britney Spears all set to kick off March 3rd. Louisiana - that`s where it`s supposed to be firing up. And now, TMZ is reporting that if her ex, K-Fed, does not let her take the kids on the road with her, no tour for Britney. Ken, do you really think Britney would actually pull the plug on this thing?</s>BAKER: Well, the good news for Britney fans is that "E! News" has confirmed that she is not canceling her tour, that the lawyers apparently are going to figure this out. So that is not a problem. But I do think that this issue is really important to her and the kids. Honestly, I would say ever since the conservatorship took over last year, this has been her priority - is to get her life in order so she can be with her kids. And I do think her kids are way more important to her than going on tour. She finally has her priorities straight.</s>HAMMER: Dawn, what do you think, though about the idea that Britney was talking of actually yanking the plug on such an important thing in her career, getting out there on tour, all because of the kids?</s>YANEK: Yes, I mean, I think Ken is absolutely right. I think what she is saying is, "My children are priority. I am getting my life back on track. I`m getting my career back on track. But what is most important is getting custody back of my children." Now, I don`t know if she would have gone as far as to cancel the entire tour. But I think we might have seen her scale back some of the shows for sure.</s>HAMMER: And it is interesting to think about how far she has come, you know, given that she doesn`t even have custody of her two young sons at this point. Can Britney wanting her kids with her on tour sort of, as you said, really a sign of how far she has come since the big meltdown which was right at this time last year?</s>BAKER: Yes, yes. Within about the last week was the one-year anniversary of her being strapped to that gurney and being taken to the hospital against her will. I mean that was a very dramatic, very horrible time in her life. And now, look at her. She is rehearsing right now. Today, she is right down the street here in Hollywood rehearsing to go on tour - on this worldwide tour. And she is in great shape. She has everything going for her that she didn`t have going for her then. The only problem is, she doesn`t have the custody of her kids. She just has visitation. And I think that is the hole in her heart. That is the missing piece. And it does continue to cause her a lot of strife.</s>HAMMER: But it does bear keeping in perspective where she was a year ago versus now and how a year ago we wondered, could she ever get to this point. So good for you, Britney. All right. Moving on, another huge story. This is new right now - the California woman who just gave birth to eight babies, octuplets. Turns out she is a single mom. She had six other babies, used a sperm donor and she lives with her parents. Dawn, she reportedly wants - are you ready for this? $2 million for her story. A lot of people are saying, "Whoa, are you kidding me? But is there really anything wrong if she wants to cash in like this?</s>YANEK: Well, I`m sure she could use the help financially. But this story is so disturbing. It`s kind of like watching a train wreck. And it raises a whole slew of ethical questions - medical questions. And really, if a network or a show is going to pay $2 million to have her on the air, I think that therapy and counseling should probably be a part of the package deal at this point.</s>HAMMER: Yes. And there are a lot of journalists who would never pay a single dollar for an interview.</s>YANEK: Right.</s>HAMMER: And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, not only is this mom of 14 - whoa - trying to sell the story, but apparently there is a battle going on between the big players, Oprah Winfrey, Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer, who all, of course, would like to have an exclusive sit-down with her just to find out, you know, how the heck do you do this? And what is it about? But Ken, let me ask you this. Should Oprah and those others pass on doing this interview, knowing that this woman wants publicity and possibly a big pay day over it?</s>BAKER: Well, I would like to officially throw the "E! News" hat into the ring, but with the stipulation that she ties her tubes, OK? That is the only way we`ll talk to her. No. You know what? Honestly, she has the right to tell her story. And anyone in the media who wishes to do so has the right to pay her whatever they want, whatever they think the value is of getting the story. I have to tell you, people are fascinated. What was she thinking? Why is she doing this? Was this just some sort of, you know, dysfunctional result of some psychology - something wrong in her head?</s>HAMMER: Yes.</s>BAKER: Or does she just love children? It just came out today she wants to be a TV expert on child care. Well, if she is not now, she better be after having to raise all these kids. So, it`s interesting to find out what her motivation is. You know what? We may see her on camera and find out, wait she is actually not that crazy. She just exercised a little bit of poor judgment. Or look at her and say, "Gosh, she is a total loon." But we won`t know until we see the interview, and for that reason, it has value.</s>HAMMER: Dawn Yanek, Ken Baker, I thank you both. And just a quick note on the Britney story, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT did reach out to reps for Britney Spears and Kevin Federline. But as of show time, we have not received a response. All right. Now an exclusive, emotional reunion between the Judge Larry Seidlin, Larry Birkhead, and his daughter, the girl he had with the late Anna Nicole Smith, Dannielynn. As you may remember, Judge Seidlin was the so-called "crying Florida judge" who presided over the battle for Anna Nicole Smith`s remains. Larry Birkhead fought to prove that he was, indeed the dad of Anna Nicole`s Dannielynn. In an exclusive reunion on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" which aired earlier tonight, Birkhead and Dannielynn surprised Seidlin. Now, this was the very first time Judge Seidlin, who is now retired, ever got to meet 2-year-old Dannielynn. Watch this.</s>LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": We now have a surprise for you, Judge Larry. If he would come out now - there is Larry Birkhead and Dannielynn the baby.</s>JUDGE LARRY SEIDLIN, PRESIDING JUDGE IN THE ANNA NICOLE SMITH CASE: Oh, that`s beautiful.</s>KING: With the judge.</s>SEIDLIN: That`s my little girl. Dex(ph), come here. I`ve always ...</s>KING: Dex(ph), come here. Yes.</s>SEIDLIN: ... my daughter - come here, my little girl. This is my 8-year- old. You know, Larry, I didn`t get married until I was 50. Look at that.</s>HAMMER: That`s a pretty nice moment. Judge Seidlin never actually met Dannielynn during the trial over Anna Nicole`s body. He ended up granting Dannielynn`s court-appointed guardian custody of the body. Anna Nicole was then buried in the Bahamas alongside her son, Daniel, who, of course, died a few months earlier. Anna Nicole died nearly two years ago on February 8th, of an accidental drug overdose. Well, I`ve got to tell you, I think Bruce Springsteen`s Super Bowl performance totally rocked. Tonight, The Boss revealing one very big, brand-new regret. He`s actually calling it a mistake. You don`t want to miss this, coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN. Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom, making news right now. (</s>CAPTION READS: "Taken" takes "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" out of the number one slot at the weekend box office. According to "Media by Numbers," January 2009 movie ticket sales hit $1 billion, a record.)