tyler. >> pitts: tyler perry's huge success has brought him power, and even comparisons to oprah, his friend and mentor. they've teamed up to executive produce "precious," a film about an urban teenage mother battling abuse and illiteracy, which opens in november. >> oprah winfrey: do not play him small, because he is not just some lucky, rich negro turned black man. he... he is not. to be able to take what he saw as an opportunity to reach a... a group of people, and to turn that into this multi-million-- soon to be multi-billion dollar enterprise-- is what everybody else is trying to do. >> pitts: what's the connection you think tyler perry has with african-american women? >> winfrey: well, first of all, i think he grew up being raised by strong black women. and so much of what he does is... is really in celebration of that. i think that's what madea really is-- a compilation of, you know, all those strong black women that i know, and maybe you do to? and so, the reason it works is because people see themselves. >> perry: this is it, this is my universe. >> pitts: perry says he's wr

tyler perry is sharing a painful part about his past sharing details about his troubled childhood. he wanted to share that survive after watching a screening of the movie "precious" about a 16-year-old girl who is physically and emotionally abused. here's something that may surprise you. in eight states and washington, d.c., insurance companies can use domestic violence as a pre-existing condition to deny health coverage. that's according to a study from the national women's law center. some lawmakers say that it's another reason the health care system needs an overhaul. senator patty murray says she's been trying to convince congress for a decade to address this lingering issue. one health care bill, at least one, is being considered which would prohibit using domestic abuse as a pre-existing condition. other bills would keep insurers from using any pre-existing condition to deny coverage. in a statement from today's health insurance plans, it reads in part -- we've been asking your thoughts on the topic. should domestic violence be a pre-existing condition? should the rules be ch

. >>> moving on tonight to director tyler perry and his horrific abuse claim. tyler is the super successful director of several hit plays that have been turned into films like "madea." he's telling his tragic childhood story about physical abuse. in a startling letter on his website he recalls one incident when his father beat him, writing -- tyler also claims as a child his grandmother actually tried to kill the germ that caused his asthma by bathing him in ammonia and that the mother of one of his friends sexually abused him. tyler said he was compelled to tell his story after seeing the highly anticipated movie "precious" based on a novel about a girl's abusive life. tylerer perry and oprah winfrey are executive producers of the film. >>> certainly a no slowdown coming on on calls about jon and kate. we got a call from ginger in arizona who thinks both jon and kate need to shut their face and stay off tv. >> i think it's totally ridiculous and i think it's outrageous that every time one of them has a problem, how do they end up on the "today" show or one of

director tyler perry's horrific abuse claims. tyler is the super successful director of several hit plays turned into films like medea's family reunion. today tyler perry is telling his own tragic personal story about childhood physical and sexual abuse. in a startling open letter on his own website he recalls one incident when his father beat him writing, my mother was out and my father came home. he was drunk as he was most of the time. he got the vacuum cleaner extension cord and trapped me in a room and beat me until the skin was coming off my back. wow. tyler also claims as a child his mother tried to kill the germ that causes asthma by bathing him in ammonia and that the mother of one of his friends sexually abused him. tyler says he felt compelled to tell his story after seeing the movie "precious" based on a girl's abusive life. >>> tonight a new "showbiz tonight" great debate as levi goes nuts for pistachio nuts. somebody's paying the faerpt of sarah palin's grandson to pitch nuts. everybody is buzzing about levi johnsto

a filmmaker tyler perry reveals details about his abusive childhood. he tells fans how he made it through those difficult years. i'm richelle carey. welcome to hln "news and views." hope you're having a great day so far jshs the mother of the you? born kidnapped from his nashville home will find out later today if she can get her four kids back. the baby and siblings placed in foster care this weekend. according to the associated press, authorities are now looking into claims that a relative of maria carillo had actually put the baby up for sale. yair anthony carillo found safe a week after taken. a woman posing as an immigration agent came to her home and demanded the child. she says the woman stabbed her several times after she refused to hand over her baby. police aren't commenting on these baby selling allegations. >>> the lab technician charged in the murder of yale grad student annie le is expected to enter the plea of not guilty when he goes before a judge today. he's accused of strangling le and stuffing her body behind the wall. investigators

ham her new york. >>> director tyler perry's horrific abuse claim. he's the super successful director of plays that have been turned into the films. but today, tyler perry is telling his own very tragic personal story about childhood physical and sexual abuse. in a startling opened letter on his own website he recalls one incident when his father beat him writing, my mother was out one night and my father came home and he was drunk, as he was most of the time. he got the vacuum cleaner extension cord and trapped me in a room and beat me until the skin was coming off my back. wow! tyler also claims as a child that his mother tried to kill the germ that causes as f asthma and the pore of one of his friends sexually abused him. he said he felt compelled to tell his story after seeing movie "precious." the film stars monique and mariah carey. >>> a brand new "showbiz tonight" great debate as levi goes nuts for pistachio nuts. somebody is actually paying the father of sarah palin's grandson to pitch nuts. everybody is buzzing about levi johnston's new biz

the tyler perry-spike lee smack down or race and comedy. now the "showbiz news ticker" and more stories making news right now. >> you are watching "showbiz tonight." keep watching the bottom of your screen for more nonstop, compelling and provocative news from "showbiz tonight." >>> the great debate over the balloon boy hoax. the startling new admission that the balloon scam was a bunch of hot air. today a big name comes to the defense of the heene family. shouldn't we feel sorry for balloon boy dad? >>> tonight bad news for oprah. "showbiz tonight" breaks big news about oprah and her weight loss advice. she is not going to like what we are revealing. is oprah giving jennifer aniston her own talk show? jon and kate face off the same day kate answers heated questions on national tv. more stories from the "showbiz news ticker." tv's first most provocative entertainment news show starts right now. >> welcome back to "showbiz tonight." i'm a.j. hammer broadcasting tonight and every night from new york city. >> i'm brooke anderson from hollywood

. >>> tyler perry reveals intimate details of his troubled childhood in new orleans including physical and sexual abuse. that's the news for now, i'm mike galanos.

. >>> moving on tonight to director tyler perry and his horrific abuse claim. tyler is the super successful director of several hit plays that have been turned into films like "madea." he's telling his tragic childhood story about physical abuse. in a startling letter on his website he recalls one incident when his father beat him, writing -- tyler also claims as a child his grandmother actually tried to kill the germ that caused his asthma by bathing him in ammonia and that the mother of one of his friends sexually abused him. tyler said he was compelled to tell his story after seeing the highly anticipated movie "precious" based on a novel about a girl's abusive life. tylerer perry and oprah winfrey are executive producers of the film. >>> certainly a no slowdown coming on on calls about jon and kate. we got a call from ginger in arizona who thinks both jon and kate need to shut their face and stay off tv. >> i think it's totally ridiculous and i think it's outrageous that every time one of them has a problem, how do they end up on the "today" show or one of

why spike lee is lashing out at tyler perry's sense of humor. >>> people in orange park florida, near jacksonville paying respects to somer thompson followed by a memorial service tomorrow. here was the scene outside the thompson home this morning. yesterday the neighborhood held a festival that doubled as a fund-raiser for somer's family. after the event the mom thanks the community for its support. >> all i want to happen is that my baby didn't die in vain. and that we catch them. everything everybody's done for me, it means the world to me. i love all of y'all. >> so far police are frustrated. they have no one in custody. somer went missing last monday walking home from school. her body found later at a georgia landfill across the state line. >>> teammates, family friends paying tribute to the university of connecticut football player stabbed to death eight days ago. the funeral for jasper howard is being held in miami today. the entire team flew down to florida to be there. here's live picture there. viewing for howard held yesterday. he was fatally stabbed outside a campus dance

tonight, tyler perry is spriking back after spike lee slammed his work. you've got to hear why tyler called his words insulting. this is "showbiz tonight" on hln. >>> now the showbiz news ticker. more stories making news right now. >>> you're watching "showbiz tonight" on hln. right now keep on watching the bottom of your screen for more nonstop compelling and provocative news from "showbiz tonight." >>> beginning with breaking news right now. police have charged one person with murder in connection with the death of uconn football player jasper howard. defense attorney darin freeman says his client john william lomax, was taken into custody this morning. to remind you what happened 20-year-old jasper howard was stabbed to death outside the student union building on campus back on october 18th. police are holding a news conference in about a half hour to discuss all of the latest developments. we will bring that to you live. again, an arrest has been made. >>> also, an entire north florida community comes together to say good-bye to somer thompson. the fu

so, it was so great to be with that cast and now tyler perry and oprah winfrey are executive producing. so, i just feel so blessed, really. >> was that a hard part to do? i mean, because it's very, very powerful. >> um, it was difficult, but i think it freed me in a lot of ways, just you know, i learned a lot, yeah. >> we are so glad you're here. you're about to sing "obsessed." >> yes, it's a fun song. >> and are you amazed it's become so popular on the internet, so incredibly popular. are you amazed that you still can move crowds the way you have over the years, or -- >> you know what it is, i love, i love my fans, and i think they really know it. they know it. especially the people that have been here for me so long, and it's almost like they're my friends and fans, so, i appreciate them just as much. >> they are definitely your friends. mariah carey, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> now go perform "obsessed." have fun. >> thank you. >> i was like, why are you so obsessed with me? ♪ so, oh, oh, oh, so, oh, oh, oh, oh, so, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ all up on the block saying we met at