Dissing Paula Deen; Ronnie`s Bullying Confession
A.J. HAMMER: Big news breaking tonight on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT -- dissing Deen. Brand-new heat today for Paula Deen, the butter-soaked queen of southern cooking after her diabetes confession. One of America`s top chefs accuses Deen of being a huckster. And SHOWBIZ breaks news -- a "Dancing with the Stars" pro says --</s>LOUIS VAN AMSTEL, DANCE PRO, "DANCING WITH THE STARS": If Paula Deen goes on "Dancing with the Stars," I`d love to have her as my partner.</s>HAMMER: Tonight, will Deen do "Dancing?" The best doggone awards of the season. The nominees for the first Golden Collar Awards are revealed today, including SHOWBIZ TONIGHT friend, Uggy, from "The Artist."</s>KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Years of acting lessons. Well, you know, it definitely paid off.</s>HAMMER: Tonight, the artist co-star Penelope Ann Miller is right here for a very rough SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. From bullied to buff. "Jersey Shore" star, Ronnie, makes a shocking confession -- he was bullied as a kid. It`s Ronnie`s big-time bullying confession right here in ye another must-see SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. TV`s most provocative entertainment news show breaks news right now.</s>PAULA DEEN, CELEBRITY COOK: I`ve always said "moderation," always said "moderation." I don`t eat every day the way that you see me cook on that show. It`s 30 days out of my life. And it`s for your entertainment. I told somebody one day, "When my life is over, and you hear my name" --</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that`s not for a long time, by the way.</s>DEEN: Not for a long time, baby. When you hear my name, I hope you associate the word "hope" with it.</s>HAMMER: And that is sweet and you see how emotional she got there. But everybody is wondering today what is Paula to do next? Well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT breaks the news that we have just the thing, an exclusive offer made right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT from a "Dancing with the Stars" pro to be his partner on "Dancing with the Stars." The question is, would she actually do it? Should she do it? Let us bite into all of this tonight with the fabulous actress and comedian Kim Coles. She appeared on "Celebrity Fit Club" and is returning to her comedy roots with the new one-woman show appearing this spring. Also with me tonight, TV host, Alicia Renee, who is regularly on MTV, VH1 and BET. Great to have you here. As I said, Kim, you played a doctor on "Frazier" once, Dr. Mary --</s>KIM COLES, ACTRESS AND COMEDIAN: OK. OK.</s>HAMMER: So I feel like this is the right place for you.</s>COLES: It is.</s>HAMMER: So first of all, let`s talk about Anthony Bourdain because he called Paula Deen the most dangerous person in America. And listen to what Anthony is tweeting now about Paula, calling her basically a huckster, "Thinking of getting in to the leg-breaking business so I can profitably sell crutches later." And Alicia, he is saying that, of course, because Paula Deen is now hocking diabetes medication.</s>ALICIA RENEE, TV HOST: Right.</s>HAMMER: Do you think it was a low-blow by Bourdain or is it fair?</s>RENEE: I think it`s a low-blow, but I think it is fair as well. Her timing is very ill.</s>HAMMER: Suspect.</s>RENEE: Very suspect. You know, apparently, she has known for three years that she was a type II diabetic. But you know, she wanted to wait until she had her book deal and her pharmaceutical deal acquired before she came out. It`s just a little --</s>COLES: So, OK. I do agree that the timing is a little off, but I understand why. Listen, she`s a brand and it`s like if I am going to add this -- this is part of what I am going through in my life. Let me add this to my brand. And I get it. I get this. She should wait -- she should have waited.</s>HAMMER: Here`s my take on that. I get she wanted to wait. You know, she wanted to eventually, I`m sure, reveal the news about her type II diabetes. She had a lot to take in to account, but three years is a long time.</s>COLES: Yes.</s>HAMMER: You know, there are a lot of people --</s>RENEE: In the interim, she released another book, you know.</s>HAMMER: Yes. A lot of people are saying maybe it should have been a few months afterwards.</s>RENEE: Right.</s>COLES: She also didn`t have to tell us at all, too, right?</s>HAMMER: Well, that is true but it eventually probably would have gotten out.</s>RENEE: The truth always finds a way.</s>HAMMER: And she -- let`s face it, she was dealing with this as she still preached eating her fatty recipes in moderation, but she was still putting it out there. I do think the decision to wait so long could actually backfire on her.</s>RENEE: I do as well. I really do. My stepfather -- he recently found out that he was diagnosed with type II diabetes. And they give you all the information right there. They show you how to use your insulin. They even provide you with a cookbook on healthy ways to cook. So I think that that would have been more cathartic for her if she just would have taken the route --</s>HAMMER: Yes.</s>RENEE: To prepare to just go right into it.</s>RENEE: What does it say? The truth shall set you free.</s>HAMMER: Yes. It`s interesting, guys --</s>COLES: She gave it to us a little bit late. A little truthie(ph) --</s>HAMMER: I thought maybe she should have immediately said, "OK. This is what I am dealing with and, now, let me release a cookbook with all of that stuff." But let`s face it -- her long-time brand is based on, well, you know, doughnuts with bacon on them and ground beef and rich creamery butter.</s>COLES: And it is not good for anybody. That`s not good for anybody.</s>HAMMER: No.</s>COLES: I think that it is interesting that today that "That is 30 days out of my life." That`s not all of the time. So it`s going to be an interesting shift. And it`s actually in line with what America really needs and wants right now, anyway, is to go towards a healthier lifestyle. Nobody should be cooking with that much butter.</s>HAMMER: And listen, let me just mention these, because these were all released in the three years since she got her original diagnosis. She released a couple of books, "The Deen`s Family Cookbook." That was back in 2009. "Paula Deen`s Southern Cooking Bible" -- that was this past October.</s>COLES: Maybe these were all in place three years before she found out. Everything has a time and a place. No? No? OK.</s>RENEE: I hear you, Kim, but there is the responsibility.</s>COLES: I know. I agree with you.</s>RENEE: You can`t all of a sudden get on the "eat in moderation and do this" route now that you`ve already procured your financial stability and you`re now going to be living quite richly off of the very thing you are shoveling into --</s>COLES: Maybe she needed to complete those deals.</s>RENEE: I`m not buying it, Kim.</s>COLES: I`m devil`s advocate. I`m devil`s advocate.</s>HAMMER: I understand that, but there are a lot of people who are going to be, you know, feeling sympathy.</s>RENEE: I get it. I get it.</s>HAMMER: I actually -- I do feel badly for her in the sense that I think she was probably caught in this no-win situation and this is what she ended up doing.</s>COLES: Sure. Sure.</s>HAMMER: And I think she still has --</s>COLES: It`s also -- keep in mind that this is ultimately -- we`re talking about the cookbooks, the health and the butter.</s>RENEE: Right.</s>COLES: Ultimately, this is her personal health.</s>HAMMER: Right.</s>COLES: And there`s a lot of folks that have difficulty and they have to decide when to go public with this. So I`m sure that that was not an easy decision no matter what the timeframe.</s>RENEE: I agree.</s>HAMMER: And as you know, when you`re living in the public eye, it changes the whole equation.</s>RENEE: Everything changes.</s>HAMMER: I do think she has some damage control ahead. But here`s the thing. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is actually breaking some big news with "Dancing with the Stars" professional dancer, Louis Van Amstel right here last night. Now, in case you missed it, I want you to watch this with me. Louie offered Paula a little opportunity. Let`s roll that.</s>VAN AMSTEL: I have a good idea. Activity is the best thing. If Paula Deen goes on "Dancing with the Stars," I`d love to have her as my partner and she`s going to become an inspiration. How about it?</s>HAMMER: So Louis Van Amstel is saying, "You know what? I would love for her to come on `Dancing with the Stars` and be my dance partner." Here`s our SHOWBIZ Flashpoint, Alicia -- should she do "Dancing with the Stars"?</s>RENEE: I don`t think to see her. I`m sorry. I don`t want to see Paula Deen. I`m a southern girl, so --</s>HAMMER: Because you are angry at her?</s>RENEE: I think that there is a huge lack of responsibility that she has taken and just to continue to -- what`s the word -- profit off of -- it`s so mumbled in my mind, but I don`t want to see Paula.</s>COLES: Oh, shut up.</s>RENEE: I think, at this point, she`s very -- you know, she is not authentic in her approach. And if he`s preaching about her wanting to take the healthy route and things like -- three years is just late. It`s very late.</s>COLES: Well, you know, Alicia and I are friends. This is the first time we have disagreed.</s>RENEE: Yes.</s>COLES: I absolutely would love to see her on that show only because I want to go on the show, too, but that`s not the story. I have a bit of a tummy ache. Can I go on the show? That would really be good for me.</s>HAMMER: You`d be great on it. Yes.</s>COLES: I think it would be wonderful. I think it would do well -- it would bode well for her to win audiences back. She`s an older woman. She is also spicy and so beautiful. I`d like to see her in all that Marabou trim and she would be a wonderful example for exercising and losing weight because there are a lot of folks with diabetes and other diseases because they don`t move.</s>RENEE: Oh, Kim --</s>COLES: I want to see her do a dip, a whole different kind of dip with a giant stick of butter. I think it would be fantastic.</s>HAMMER: Now, hold on -- but I want to back up to what you are saying because I told Louis last night I actually do think it would be a fantastic idea. But I get your point. You are I feeling like, you know, as Anthony Bourdain said, maybe she is a bit of a huckster. She`s taking advantage of a situation --</s>RENEE: I really do. I feel that she`s capitalizing extremely on a situation that -- like Kim said, it is a very serious thing. You know, we stayed in the hospital with my stepfather for three days, you know, to make sure that everything was OK. So it is like, now, that you are financially set off of something that, you know, a lot of adults, not just adults but, you know, people in general are suffering from, it`s like I don`t want to see you gallivanting on "Dancing with the Stars."</s>HAMMER: But maybe it also would be a great opportunity certainly for her in terms of public relations. And I think she has a battle ahead.</s>COLES: You talked about the battle that she has and the work she has ahead. This would be on every week. She has her fans that would vote her back. She has a chance to mea culpa.</s>RENEE: You know what? Maybe if the money that she receives from "Dancing with the Stars" will go to a charity for diabetics.</s>HAMMER: Good. You`re in. Got to wrap it there.</s>COLES: That`s it for everybody.</s>RENEE: There we go. There we go. We`re all happy.</s>HAMMER: Kim Coles, Alicia Renee, great to se you both. Thank you for being here. All right. We`ve got to move on. You have heard what we think. I`m dying to hear from you on this. Do you agree with the ladies that are with me tonight? Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT exclusive poll -- "Paula Deen: Should she do `Dancing with the Stars`?" Vote at HLNTV.com/ShowbizTonight. Our E-mail address, showbiztonight@hlntv.com. Well, forget the dog fight between Clooney and Pitt this awards season. What about those who are clawing their way to the top in Hollywood? They never get a fair shake, well, until now.</s>KAREEN WYNTER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT CORRESPONDENT: Uggy, I love the bowtie. How long did it take you to get ready?</s>HAMMER: The nominees for the first Golden Collars Awards are revealed. You`ve got to see this. And of course, Uggy, from "The Artist" is included. Uggy`s co-star, the great Penelope Ann Miller, does the honors in a SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. Wait until you see this. Also, inside Johnny Depp`s split. Tonight, exclusive details about Johnny`s stunning split from Vanessa Paradis. Johnny back to his wild ways? "Jersey Shore`s" Ronnie making a shocking confession -- he was bullied as a kid. But why is the bulked-up reality star the still a bruiser on the show? Well, Ronnie is going to explain in an all-new SHOWBIZ newsmaker interview. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. Time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news tonight.</s>TEXT: LL Cool J to host the Grammys, he`s the show`s first host in seven years. Nick Cannon posts video update about his kidney ailment.</s>NICK CANNON, HOST, "AMERICA`S GOT TALENT": I`m not dead. First day back at work. Feeling good, feeling healthy. I appreciate all of the love, all of the concern, all of the letters and E-mails and texts, people sending me flowers and stuff.