Charlie Sheen Takes New York
ANNOUNCER: TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.</s>HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer coming to you from New York City. We`ve got big news breaking today -- Charlie iWitness news. Sheen`s "Violent Torpedo of Truth" road show just hit New York City. And of course, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there, front and center, to watch all of his shenanigans up close and personal. We sent eyewitnesses to both Charlie`s shows in New York City, including SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s own phenomenal associate producer, Brittany Kaplan, who was at Friday`s show. Also at Friday`s show, Marlaina Schiavo, who is a senior editorial producer on HLN`s "NANCY GRACE SHOW." And there was an eyewitness for Sunday night`s show as well, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s fantastic associate producer, Anisa Husain. Marlaina, I do want to star with you. You were at Charlie`s very first show here in New York City. I`m thinking Charlie Sheen at Radio City Music Hall -- this can`t go well, and it didn`t. He got booed practically off stage. Was the show an absolute bomb from your perspective?</s>MARLAINA SCHIAVO, SENIOR EDITORIAL PRODUCER, "NANCY GRACE SHOW: It was. It started off really strong, A.J., and I had high hopes for him. We talked to some fans before the show. They were really excited to go in. And once he started, he got a lot of cheers. And then, eventually, it went all downhill. He started talking about tiger blood. And some heckler screamed "Boring!" And at that point, people were heckling him and booing. People were getting up and walking around. They never really settled in their chairs. They were getting beers. It sounded like a really rowdy Friday-night crowd that just really wanted to let Charlie have it.</s>HAMMER: So they pretty much got let down.</s>SCHIAVO: Yes.</s>HAMMER: Speaking of the hecklers, I want to throw up this photo, Charles, if you would. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT associate producer, Britney Kaplan, snapped this photo from inside Radio City Music Hall Friday night, a stern warning, as you see, to hecklers, "If you`re going to boo Charlie, you`re out." Now, Brit, you told me earlier today, you just hated this show. You thought Charlie was terrible. Did you see hecklers actually getting escorted out of the building?</s>BRITTANY KAPLAN, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: I did. And A.J., I have to tell you, as you know, I`m a huge Charlie fan.</s>HAMMER: Yes.</s>KAPLAN: I have to preface it by that. So you know, it hurts me to say that it was the worst show I`ve ever seen. And I wasn`t the only one that felt that way. People were walking out. They were booing. They were getting escorted out. And at some point, it seemed like security just gave up.</s>HAMMER: Now, let me ask you this because we happened to pay for the tickets. Would you have asked for your money back? Was it that bad?</s>KAPLAN: I absolutely would have.</s>HAMMER: Was it that kind of deal?</s>KAPLAN: Charlie had to actually ask the crowd to stop booing just so he could finish his little monologue at the end. He couldn`t talk over the boos.</s>HAMMER: That`s a New York City crowd. What do you want? But Anisa, you were at the second show on Sunday and you absolutely loved it. I do want to take a look at what was one of, I believe, your favorite moments from the night.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Charlie, what`s your favorite curse word?</s>CHARLIE SHEEN, ACTOR: That`s a great</s>HAMMER: Now, Anisa, I know you and Brittany have some similar tastes. You both have this love for Charlie Sheen. What made you love this show so much? What was so great about it?</s>ANISA HUSAIN, ASSOCIATED PRODUCER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: It was just so raw, so real. I love the profanity. That`s what I loved. It`s just -- it`s everything that I thought it would be. I wasn`t let down at all. It`s really just like I was sitting down hanging out with Charlie Sheen. And I don`t know -- I just loved it so much.</s>HAMMER: So Brittany, you went in with probably the same expectations. You weren`t getting that?</s>KAPLAN: No.</s>HAMMER: I`m sure there was raw profanity and all of that stuff.</s>KAPLAN: Well, I think it`s important to note that Anisa and I saw very different shows.</s>HAMMER: Yes.</s>KAPLAN: It seems he really put on different shows between the two nights. But when I went in, he was incoherent. He was rambling. And he`s telling stories about an eight-month pregnant --</s>HAMMER: But isn`t that what you expect from Charlie Sheen?</s>KAPLAN: Exactly.</s>HAMMER: I mean, you know, that`s what I`m hearing from so many people who are disappointed, right, Anisa?</s>HUSAIN: Yes, that`s what --</s>HAMMER: I mean, you got pretty much what you think he`s going to do, ramble on about nonsense.</s>HUSAIN: Exactly. Exactly. And look, I understand, you know, you didn`t like what he was talking about. But like I said, it`s Charlie Sheen. What else are you expecting from Charlie Sheen? You know, we`re not going to see like a Celine Dion concert. It`s Charlie Sheen.</s>HAMMER: I`ll tell you what. Brittany wanted a sophisticated concert-going experience, knowing her.</s>KAPLAN: No, I didn`t --</s>HAMMER: Hold on a second. I want to get to one highlight I believe you guys told me was from both shows. Charlie told the audience that he wants his "Two and a Half Men" job back. Let`s look at that.</s>SHEEN: How do you guys feel about "Two and a Half Men"? Do you want to see me back on it?</s>CROWD: Yes!</s>SHEEN: You need to all write to the</s>HAMMER: Now, Marlaina, he`s making a point of talking about this at all of his shows. Did he seem desperate to you about wanting to get back on CBS?</s>SCHIAVO: Well, I mean, it`s kind of a loaded question. He seemed desperate throughout the entire show in general. He threw out a lot of catch phrases, saying "winning" and "tiger blood" just to get applause. But yes, he did say that, you know, "I did not quit my job. I was fired." And you know, "I want to go back." And he even invited Chuck Lorre on stage to have a full-on debate.</s>HAMMER: Oh, yes, that will happen. I don`t see that happening. All right, guys. Well, we appreciate your inside eyewitness report to this big "Torpedo of Truth" tour report. Marlaina, Anisa, Brittany, thank you all for being with us tonight.</s>HAMMER: Well, there is more big news breaking right now from my headline- making SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsmaker interview with Pia Toscano. Just days after we were all shocked by Pia getting voted off of "American Idol", I said down with Pia this afternoon. Now, she wouldn`t confirm reports that were floating around today that she`s already signed a record deal. But what about those stories today that she`s now dating one of the stars of "Dancing with the Stars"? And you may be surprised to learn this was actually Pia`s fifth time trying to be named "American Idol." This is just the first time she actually made it on to the show. Pia tells me how this time around has been different.</s>TOSCANO: I mean, this is -- I`ve been a fan of the show since season one and I`ve auditioned so many times. And I would get sent home. And I would think, you know, "Why did I get sent home?" And it was all preparing me -- I`d like to believe at least it was all preparing me for season ten. This is my moment. And you know, I practiced so hard, and, I mean, you cannot give up. You just have to keep going.</s>HAMMER: And I know it`s been overwhelming, all of the celebrity reaction to you getting booted off.</s>TOSCANO: Right.</s>HAMMER: They`re outraged, too. You know, you`ve seen the tweets from Tom Hanks and Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson. Of past "Idol" contestants, is there anybody that you`ve heard from? Because Jennifer Hudson has been through the same thing.</s>TOSCANO: Yes.</s>HAMMER: Has anybody reached out to you directly yet.</s>TOSCANO: Jennifer Hudson tweeted. Katharine McPhee reached out to me, Chris Daughtry --</s>HAMMER: Did you speak to any of them directly?</s>TOSCANO: Well, we just, you know, through tweets and stuff like that.</s>HAMMER: Just through Twitter?</s>TOSCANO: Yes. But so sweet and so supportive. And it`s nice to know that they they`ve gone through what I`m going through --</s>HAMMER: Right.</s>TOSCANO: And to have them say -- look at their careers. I mean -- -</s>HAMMER: Any of those guys you look to in particular as either a mentor or an inspiration, "I`m going to try to follow that path"?</s>TOSCANO: Chris, Jennifer -- definitely, Katharine McPhee as well. I mean, just to know that they went through what I`m going through right now.</s>HAMMER: Got to ask you, because this is where you`re headed now. Are you ready for the fact that -- OK, here we are talking about your career and all the great thing. But the fact is, you are now a bona fide celebrity in your own right. For better or worse, people are going to want to know about your personal life.</s>TOSCANO: Right.</s>HAMMER: Number one, are you prepared for that? Because, hopefully, you have a good support system in place.</s>TOSCANO: Yes.</s>HAMMER: And to that end, I`ve got to ask you, you know, this is going to be the first thing everybody`s going to be asking you about. Of course, you`ve seen the reports. You and Mark Ballas are an item from "Dancing with the Stars." Can you set the record straight on that?</s>TOSCANO: Well, we just went out with a bunch of people -- you know, just friends really. And you know, we had a good time. We went out with a group of people.</s>HAMMER: And there you have it. Nothing to the romance. But Pia also told me all those stories about her dating her fellow "Idol" contestants are not true. I did warn Pia, I felt this responsibility, that the possible romances are not going to stop anytime soon. If she goes out to dinner with somebody, they`re going to be dating in some of the magazines. Moving on now to Karina`s big naked mistake? Karina Smirnoff of "Dancing with the Stars" taking it all off for "Playboy." That`s sparking a coast-to-coast SHOWBIZ TONIGHT debate today -- great move or big mistake? Lindsay Lohan blasts Betty White. Really? Lindsay going after the 89-year-old golden girl. And from a new war to peace. It`s the most heartwarming video I have seen in a long time. You`ve got a cat and a dolphin kissing and hugging. You`ve got to see this, and you will, next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN news and views. Time for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" -- these are more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news today.</s>TEXT: Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne owe $1.7 million to IRS, IRS places lien on their home. "Facts of Life" cast reunites at TV Land Awards.</s>CHARLOTTE RAE, ACTRESS: I thought our show at the time was very dear and it is. It was very sweet and thoughtful and sensitive and -- I don`t know. They use a lot of rotten language now in these sitcoms and they`re kind of crass.