on today's show, reality star ruby gellinger talks about her dramatic weight loss. singer and actress sheryl stops by and exclusive news about khloe kardashian's wedding. how you doin'? >> wendy: how you doin'? ♪ [ apause ] >> and here's wendy! [ cheers and applause ] >> wendy: hi, america! how you doin'? hi, everyone. thank you, thank you. come on over, leannleanna! oh, honey bunch. i know i saw you upstairs and i walked past you quickly, because i didn't want to get our introduction watered down with the meeting upstairs.

it's nice to have you here. i understand you'll be firing your father for the third time today. >> yes. >> wendy: so, you know, she came here in car service from long island. dad forgot the products, and he had to go back home. so he's still not here but she sent me products. this is my basket of products? >> yes. >> wendy: good, good. leanna started in hair -- excuse me, it's called leanna's hair. she started in 2005 when she was only 9 years old. all-natural pomade. it's your grandmother's recipe? >> great grandmother's recipe actually. >> wendy: i want to see mommy put some tracks in here -- no. it's gorgeous! >> thank you. >> wendy: when she was 9 years old, people used to say how beautiful her hair is. you had a little brother who would finish his gerber jars and you would fill the jars with -- >> this hair pomade. >> wendy: and take them to school. and everybody was like oh, my gosh, your hair is so beautiful to their own daughters.

>> yes. >> wendy: that's very nice. so now in 2008, her business made about $110,000 in sales. >> yes. >> wendy: up 30% this year. they expect it to make a little over $150,000. her dad greg actually quit his job to work for her so now she's the boss. you fired him twice and now he's good to get it the third time. >> one more time. and many more to come. >> wendy: and she's 13 years old right now. so congratulations. >> thank you. >> wendy: on the hair stuff. if you want to find out more information about leanleann's project, go to my website, wendyshow.com. thank you very much. i will take these, so my wigs can be as beautiful as your natural hair. leann, thanks so much. it's time for "hot topics." [ applause ]

>> wendy: , la, la, la. i just love the "hot topics" music. boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. so it is wednesday, september 23rd. how you doin'? yesterday one of the highlights of getting home, i have basically a lot of the same routines every day. maybe some of you all do also, where you're in the kitchen about the same time, you're doing the same things. we become very much creatures of habit. so yesterday i was watching dr. oz, who in my kitchen, this is on. and i'm glancing and i'm looking, i'm glancing. then he started talking about stress. and i said, well, i want in because i said that -- you know, he's going to name the top stressful, most stressful cities in our country and what you can do about your stress. thank you, oz, for teaching again me something new. chicago, l.a., new york and detroit, bowl full of stress for breakfast. a stress sandwich with cheese for lunch, and apparently stress spaghetti for dinner because we're the most stressful cities in the country.

so there you have it. and i'm dealing with the painters. i feel like murphy brown, remember that old candice bergen show? murphy brown, the papers are there and part of the after-work foo foo-la. tonight, please don't forget and remember to watch "modern family" the new show on abc and also "cougar town." yeah. [ applause ] i put my tv watching as part of my schedule. so i will be watching those two tonight. okay. let's get into it. so mackenzie phillips, you know her from "one day at a time." she played the older sister. valerie bertinelli played barbara. i forgot mackenzie's character. i used to watch all the time. she's going to be on "oprah" today. she has a new tell all-book called "high on arrival." in the book she's revealing quite a few disturbing things and she will talk about this today on "oprah." she reveals that her father,

john, from the mamas and the papas, band from the '60s -- he died, by the way in 2001, she says he contributed to her drug abuse. and we've known that for years, but we never heard this statement -- he would put the needle in my arm and he would push the plunger in and miss the vein and my whole arm went numb. also on "oprah" today she's supposed to be revealing that her father is the first person who ever shot her up. now, it gets worse. are you ready? it gets worse. she reveals in "people" magazine interview today, and she'll also, i'm sure talk on "oprah" about how when she was 19 years old, the night before her wedding, she went on to say -- here's the quote, "on the eve of my wedding my father showed up determined to stop it. i had tons of pills and dad had tons of everything too. i woke up in the middle of the night from a blackout to find

myself having sex with my father." it was a really incestuous relationship that took place over a period of time. and last october mackenzie pled guilty to cocaine possession. so at 49 years old, she's still apparently very caught up in the matrix. and do you really ever get over having sex with your dad? she also alleges in the book, and hopefully she'll talk o "oprah" about this today -- i'm so disturbed -- that she had a fling with mick jagger, rolling stones' front man. she says he locked the door and says, "i've been waiting for you." wait, hold on. "i've been waiting for this since you were only 10 years old." oprah, i love you, but this is even too much for me. i won't be watching this show. you guys tell me how it was. somebody from the staff watch

and tell me how it was. i i'm xeved as the "jersey housewives" would say. khloe kardashian is in fact, allegedly, we'll keep going with that. even though she talked and he talked. it's a fact? >> it's a fact. >> i'm happy for them but i'm scared at the same time. i feel like it's all happening too early. she's going to marry l.a. lakers star lamar odom this sunday, and our good friends at "life & style weekly magazine," how you doin'? gave us exclusive details. ready? first of all, lamar asked khloe's mom chris if they could get married during a family dinner as a matter of fact at bo steak house in los angeles, where everybody seems to go. i watch wassing tmz yesterds wa another show that happens to be on when i'm gathering dinner for my family, insaw gary leaving the steak house. another one with the sparklers.

did you see tmz yesterday? this is what khloe says -- "we fell in love and we were talking about marriage so fast. i'm so in love with him. his spirit, his smile, his personality. i'm more than in love." doesn't everybody remember having that feeling about a guy after only knowing him for three minutes? actually, it's been -- how long have they been dating, three something? three weeks, three -- minutes? [ laughter ] a mess. are you ready for the description of the ring? lamar presented khloe with a 9 car rkarat radiant cut diamond pave. just to tell you where that weighs in on divas getting marri married, mariah got a 15 karat honker from nick. jennifer lopez got -- only 8.2 is what one of my co-workers said. i said it's not only when it's pink, darling.

pink is rare, rare, rare. but we see how long that marriage lasted. but you're with mark. was that mark or ben's ring? >> that was ben's ring. >> that was ben's ring, only 8.2. what did you do, mark? anyway, christine got 6 karats, melissa alainio 3 karats and ken da 2 karats. this is what i say, it's really not the size of the ring but the size compared to the girl's body. khloe is a bigger girl -- look. stop laughing. i'm not making fun. why does everything always turn into something making fun. i'm trying to get this this wedding stuff! khloe is a big girl so she needs a bigger ring. little kendra is this big. a 2 karat on kendra is still making her go like this. i am huge, so i have a bigger ring, of course. so, anyway, i say all of that to say, now, okay, the other two kardashians, including kim, who right now is way behind in the

race, we got one pregnant, one getting married, and then we got kim. there was one point where kim was the big star. i know you're wondering what i'm holding. it's the registry. hang on. hang on. i know you want to know where she's registered. hang on. look, the bridal party is going to be a complete surprise to khloe. she's letting her girls, sisters, kourtney and kim pick a lucky seven. my thing is okay, kourtney, kim, kendall -- and what's the other little sister's name kylie. there's four. and then the black girlfriend from the show. what's her name? never say her name. >> i like her. >> i like her, too! [ laughter ] milika? no, me like-a your highlights!

look at that share. do we have that shot? something america doesn't see. you got it? gorgeous. >> thank you, wendy, how you doin'? >> wendy: how you doin'? ? anyw any anyway, the black girl from the shot who tallies receipts, she will probably be one of them. that's fine. i am thinking -- i still can't figure out why they still hang out with adrienne from the cheetah girls because that's robert, their little brother's ex-girlfriend. and, sorry, when somebody becomes an ex, they're out of the family. you know, it's like the mob, you know. you're in when you're in and you're out when you're out. robert, get a backbone. why do you allow these girls -- am i the only one who feels this way? but something tells me that these pushy sisters are going to push the ex-girlfriend of their wimpy brother into this wedding party. so that's six. and i'm thinking they need one more bridesmaids.

[ laughter ] [ applause ] i'm just saying! i don't know you kardashians really well, but a lot of times when i read "life & style" people pick people based on pasch partialality, so i need to be there and take notes! i just want to read through the registry and tell you this is a official, like a referee with a whistle. she's got some all clad stuff, which i like the all-clad stuff, it lasts forever, $299 for an electric griddle. $499 for a margarita maker. a food processor from cuisinart for $299. these are the most expensive things on here. i love she's about to marry the $33 million man and she's getting real regular. i like this. that means if you like her,

khloe kardashian, can you buy something and send it to her. look at this, $9.95 for a stainless steel french whisk. i can't picture khloe cooking. but i like it a lot. she's registered at williams-sonoma and a place called geary's in l.a. congratulations, you guys. all jokes aside, congratulations. but note trobt, don't allow your sisters to have adrian in the wedding. [ laughter ] don't do it. okay. whatever. how are you doing? >> i'm fine. how you doin'? >> wendy: good. i love your ripped jeans. >> thank you. they're my fav. >> wendy: i always get envious of girls who are able to wear the ripped jeans because i put them on, my fat comes through. i know i'm not the only one in americthat happens too, right? does anybody in the audience get that, put on the ripped jeans? yes! and your fat comes through. yes, work. so do you have a comment?

>> yes. i wanted to talk about khloe getting married to lamar. i think she's rushing it because she was behind the race. before kim was the one getting married. now kourtney's pregnant. i think she's rushing it and not really, really in love with him. she's in love with being married and being in the spotlight. >> wendy: she's in love with the fact by overthrowing kim and quickly overthrowing the pregnant one. we talked about this morning in hair and makeup and staff. i said you guys, until you are the one in the back of the line, you will never understand in my mind what khloe's going through. i know i'm not the only one who's like -- i love my family and everything but i'm the middle child. i'm the big one. my sister was straight "a," perfect, perfect, perfect. my little brother, he's the boy. my mother and father have always been a vision of physical well being and everything. and i was always the frog. and i will tell that you right now. i was taller, fatter, weirder

and everything. i know what it's like to want to get in front of the race done it. sometimes you maybe don't even really think about it. so i -- khloe, i get you. me and our executive producer rob dauber, who is a vision of loveliness but grew up quite overweight. can we say that? >> i was overweight, yeah. >> wendy: and now, we go to the gym. so we understand khloe. we bond with khloe, right? >> yeah. >> wendy: how you doin'? thank you so much for your comment. they're going to be 200 guests at the wedding. okay -- i can't believe "hot topics" went like so fast. which movie star refuses to marry his pregnant girlfriend? you'll find out in one more "hot topic." but up next -- her weight journey was an inspiration for all of us. ruby gettinger is up next. and later, "ask wendy."

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[ applause ] ♪ >> wendy: so our first guest is one of the stars of style network's hit reality show "ruby," where she shares her ongoing journey with her battle with weight. watch this. >> i want them to realize that maybe they can change and they can can beat this. i want to get into the kids' minds and really tell them what happened to me. i need to let them realize that i am them. i am in their shoes. you know, i was in their shoes and i still am. i haven't beat this yet. >> wendy: she's also the author of a new inspirational book titled "ruby's diary." please help me welcome ruby gettinger. [ applause ]

>> wendy: have we? ruby, thanks for being here. first of all, you look terrific. what is this, self-tanner, tanning machine? what do you do? >> no, i do not go to a machine. are you crazy? >> wendy: what do you do? >> i spray it myself. >> wendy: that's good. >> i do the neutrogena. >> wendy: got ya. ruby lost a tremendous amount of weight. how much did you weigh when you started? >> 716 pounds when i started and i lost 388 pounds. [ applause ] >> wendy: ruby, do you still have the beige dress? >> i do. actually, they cut some of it off because they made me get rid -- did you ever see that episode they make me get rid of my dresses. it was hard for me to get rid of them because they have been with

me forever. and then there's that little thing that says, what if i get back there because they had to make them. so there's a little piece i keep for prosperity. >> wendy: now you weigh what, what did you say? >> now i weigh 328 pounds. >> wendy: ruby, by the way, a lot of people in your position when you first started at 700 and something pounds, would have probably elected to get gastric bypass but you wanted to do this naturally. >> i wanted to find out the root of the problem. i know people who have done that, and it's just as hard for them. let me tell you something, it is 75% of working out, eating right, even doing the surgery, it's just as hard. but i wanted to find out -- i wanted to be the guinea pig to find out why i got to be 716 pounds. >> wendy: and she go through her journey in her new book, "ruby's diary." so why did you end up weighing that much? >> i'm still searching that out, but one of the things, people prejudge you and they think, you know that you're lazy. all do you is eat and eat and

eat. and i wasn't like that. i wasn't overindulging in food. it's just i would eat the wrong stuff and back then, i didn't realize that i was eating like one serving is like 500 calories but there were three servings in that one thing. >> wendy: yes! >> so i was eating -- but you don't realize that. even though i wasn't overindu e overindulging was probably adding 4,000 to 5,000 a day. and i always put on makeup and tried to look good. >> wendy: you're an attractsive woman. >> i always tried to look as best as i can but it's not because i was lazy. thes bigger than we realize. someone can come into my soul and walk in my shoes, they would realize this was not my dream to be 716 pounds. >> wendy: well, food is an addiction, and it's probably one of the last things -- i remember when ricki lake had her show, she used to say food is the last prejudice. you can't make fun of people because of their color. you can't make fun of people because of their height or whatever. but for some reason, people are allowed to get away with making

fun of overweight people. >> it's one of the forgotten ones. >> wendy: and you can kick drugs and you never have to have drugs again or alcohol but you can't kick food because we need it to sustain us. >> have you to live in order to eat. everywhere you go, church, i don't care movies, you have food. they have krispy kreme doughnuts at church. you smell the buttered popcorn at the movies. it's always in your face. every commercial. everything's in your face, is it not? >> wendy: i am such a foodie, ruby. gumballs, but i think we can make something out of it. so this is very important. so, look, now i understand that you are down to 1,700 calories a day. >> right. >> wendy: how do you do that? what do you eat? >> first of all, the thing that helped me get over this is our life fresh plan. i went on this program. it's where a chef actually cooks. it's not processed food. it was almost like going to rehab without going to rehab, where i had to go six months

cold turkey and i was mad and pouting and to the happy at all. it was hard for me to do but it changed my palette. i actually drive now the right kinds of food. i love fish. i crave fish. >> wendy: fried with hot sauce? >> no, grilled fish. >> wendy: baked. >> think about that, i would never even put grilled fish in my mouth, vegetables. i wasn't eating that kind of stuff. i was eating everything snacks. >> wendy: cheesy broccoli and stuff. >> i love your breasticals, by the way. does she not have beautiful breasticals. >> wendy: think! [ applause ] >> wendy: ruby, i made no secret i have gotten plastic surgery. i started out a long a. so this is plastic surgery. i've gotten liposection and i've gotten a tummy tuck. >> i am scared to death of that. i know once i lose this weight -- when you do your arms up in the air that is not flab. this is flab. you do this stuff, i go she's embarrassing me acting like

there's something to weigh. that is nothing. >> wendy: they call them bingo wings. >> bingo wings! >> wendy: would you ever have plastic surgery to lose the extra fat that you can't lose? >> there will be at least be 100 pounds of this flab and that's scary to me. because it's going to be cut off. i'm going to have to get it cut off. tell me what -- what is it like? is it -- is it hard, painful? >> wendy: it wasn't a difficult decision to make, you know. i just searched out, you know, a great plastic surgeon. i had my mother and father visit for about two weeks to help me out. because the tommy tuck, you can't bend over. ruby, my tommy tuck is anyone years old. feel my stomach, hard. i don't want -- >> wendy: i want one todlike yoc surgery or in the case of gastric bypass, it's a temporary fix. if you don't learn how to change your lifestyle. >> that's right. i can never -- i used to be, i would lose weight and think, i can eat everything i want to eat

once you lose the weight. you can't. this is a life time change. i'm now into eating right. i need to learn how to cook. that's the next thing i'm going to do, learning how to cook. i have to go into the mental part of this because this is a cover-up. this was pleasing something. even though i was happy all of my life. i don't remember my childhood. >> wendy: see, i would like to talk to you about that, ruby. because i find ruby doesn't remember quite a bit from her childhood. >> anything that was a problem. i thought most people probably didn't remember their childhood. >> wendy: hold that thought. more with ruby. plus how her weight has affected her life, love life and otherwise after the break. keep it here. [ applause ] ♪ and that's how verizon fios works.

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[ applause ] ♪ >> wendy: okay. so ruby's here, and we're talking weight loss. and weight and stuff and foxy's in the audience. foxy is ruby's dog she's had ten years. >> that's my child now. >> wendy: and you lost foxy's sister -- >> sister lucy. >> wendy: recently. >> yes. just like eight weeks ago and it's breaking my heart. she was only 9 and they're supposed to live 16, 18 years shen got kidney failure, the same thing my dad passed away from in january. >> wendy: and that was also recently. and this is also ruby's nephew here. now, your nephew is anything but obese. are you the only one in your family? >> no.

they've suffered with weight. actually, when i came back from l.a., he was a fatty. and i made him go on a diet. i said you are not going to be like me. and people got mad at me. they were sitting there going, he can have an extra piece of cake, ruby. i said no, he can't. he's not. no way. >> wendy: i agree. i always tell young people doshgs , do it now. your metabolism will slow down. if you don't mind me asking, how old are you? >> 30 -- >> wendy: okay. >> you can't ask me that. in the south they call you an old maid if you're not married by 20. so in my head i think they call me old maid. >> wendy: do you want to get married? >> i did. the guy i was in love with -- >> wendy: denny. >> and i thought we were going to get married. >> wendy: until you discovered it's all about physical. >> i understand where he was coming from. most guys look with the eyes and that's the way god made us. women are nurturing. we love with the heart. we look with the heart. and men look with the eyes.

even though he loved me as much as he can, he couldn't get over the physical, but at least he was honest when other people would make an excuse. he would go, everything about you i love. please lose your weight. >> wendy: how many years were you with him? >> 8 1/2 years. >> wendy: did you have an active sex life? >> no, no, no. the passion was not. and that came also because there's no -- it's not because i was scared to. but it's like that's something i wasn't going to do until i got married. >> wendy: got you. oh! >> and that wasn't something i wanted to do until i got married. and it also has to do with the body. i started thinking, if i get married to him, i'm not going to stand there in front of him naked, 700 pounds. >> wendy: so you never had sex? >> no, not at all. >> wendy: ruby's got a wish list, everybody. >> have you all had sex? raise your hand. [ applause ] you didn't raise your hand.

>> wendy: regularly, honey. >> that is not right! honey, trust me -- >> wendy: yes, ruby. >> obviously, your husband is good. look, her husband's good. >> wendy: ruby's got a wish list and on her wish list is that she would love to be able to wear jeans and you're wearing jeans. >> i am! >> wendy: tell us about it. what size do you wear? >> it's actually in the jean size -- understand, i have never been able to wear clothes or order clothes. they were always handmade from a womaning in savannah that's a gift for me. >> wendy: but you can now walk in a store? >> yes, 26, 28 and the jeans -- i think that's 26 but i don't know what that is in overweight size, you know what i mean? >> wendy: a 26 is a 26. you're walking into a store -- >> there are girl that's wear 26 that are this small. i don't understand. >> wendy: sometimes it's the junk in the trunk. >> i have junk in the trunk and i'm happy about that.

i am. >> wendy: also on your list that you would love to be able to reach down and paint your toe nails. simple things we take for granted. >> wendy: and i'm not yet able to do that yet. but i also wanted to ride a horse and i got to ride a horse for the first time. it almost killed me, as i want you to know, i'm telling you all what happened. the producer on the show, carrie franklin, i'm saying her name, i'm not kidding you, and the camera guy, harry, they cared more about getting the shot than the course taking off with me. >> wendy: i know what you're saying. >> and i went, y'all, go, move, the horse is getting spooked. and they're all like -- >> wendy: the other thing on your wish list was to -- to be able to use an airplane bathroom. >> yes. you all, guess what, i did it! i was so happy. you all would die. i had to go to the bathroom so bad -- i'm not kidding you. i was going oh, lord, i'm not going to be able to lose the bathroom. i said let me try. i lost weight. i go into the bathroom. i get in. i was able to fit in. i was sitting there looking in

the mirror smiling like i had won the lottery. y'all, that's a big deal. you don't understand. >> wendy: it is a big deal, ruby. >> that means i can travel now somewhere like italy. >> wendy: yes, you can go away. >> i want to go somewhere like that so bad. >> wendy: so i have one more question for you ruby, and then i understand you have to go. >> i don't want to go. >> wendy: i want you to come back. but, first, about your childhood. i find it wild you don't -- ruby doesn't remember her life before 13. >> let me tell you, i didn't think there was a problem with that. i really thought other people was like i was, and i always heard stories from my siblings or my mom and dad would tell me stories. and then it was like when i started seeing the therapist, he was telling me that's not normal. there's a huge part in your mind that's making you forget something. and it has to be something tragic. the more i read on it and i talk to people about it, it is scary now to open that door. >> wendy: i don't know. >> that was a part of the journey that was unexpected on this whole thing. >> wendy: do you really want to know? >> i don't know.

it could have been something verbally or something i saw or something bad happen to me. i feel like to unlock the key to this weight, maybe this is why i was eating. maybe this is -- because i started getting overweight at 9, 10, 11. all of that, you know. so i'm trying to find my memories. because, you know, plus i wasn't to remember things my mom and them tell me about, special moments. they take me to school, to my house. i promise to the lord, i'm looking at it going -- >> wendy: i don't remember. >> they're lying to me. i know they can't be lying that i lived there. i have no recollection. >> wendy: my heart is pounding for whatever is pandora's box. i want to thank you for being here, ruby. >> thanks for having me. >> wendy: guys, check out ruby's new book. it's called "ruby's diary." it's in stores now. up next, "ask wendy". [ applause ] ♪ mrs. hunter, do you want a halls refresh?

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[ applause ] ♪ >> wendy: okay. welcome back to the show. thank you, audience. it's time for "ask wendy." how are you?ç have a seat, you guys. except for you. how are you? >> fine, wendy. >> wendy: nice to have you here. >> my name is beverly from long island. >> wendy: hi, bev. >> my question is after many years of coping with very thin hair i was finally convinced to try wigs. >> wendy: and they're fabulous. >> now i'm told good with wiggy, and my husband loves it. it's just what do you do during those special moments? >> wendy: during the commercial, i'll explain to you how i attach

mine. okay. well, put it this way, you have to figure out a way to wear your wigs where year not wearing a k wig cap, it starts with fashioning your own hair into a pigtail and pigtail and pigtail back here. and then you get those hair clips. do you hear that? if i may -- ooh, ooh, ooh xlx! >> you have enough hair to do that. i don't. >> wendy: listen, attach your hair to your head with the wig clips and you will be able to be in the throes of fashion all night. >> okay. >> wendy: then you take it off. once he's asleep and throw it in the door and get some rest yourself. okay. >> thank you. >> wendy: more "ask wendy" next. [ applause ] ♪

>> wendy: i want you at my party. ifou're in the new york city area and like to be a part of the audience, go to wendyshow.com for free tickets. ly see you soon. [ applause ] ♪see you soon. [ applause ] ♪ okay we're back. still "ask wendy." how are you? how you doin'? >> wendy: how you doin'? >> i'm doing really good. i live with my mom. i love my mom a lot. basically i go to the mall and i think he's cute but i'm kind ofo shy.o so he will approach the guy and talk to the guy and bring him over to me. and there she is. she does it all the time. >> wendy: mom, how you doin'? >> see. >> wendy: how old is your mom? >> my mom is 42. >> wendy: i thought you were part of misterhood, my age group. god, i'm so glad i don't have a daughter.

i would probably be the same way. you have to pull back, mom.ç your mom has to pull back. and you have to stop being to shy. and maybe stop telling your mom who you think is cute at the mall. you know, i didn't grow up with one of those moms who was my girlfriend where i can say, oohó mom, he's cute.óó i grew up with a mom's mom.óó my generation, you get a mom's mom. these days, we moms are with it and we're happening but sometimes we overstep our boundaries, if you know what i'm saying. and i think you do. >> okay. >> wendy: okay? >> all right. >> wendy: good luck. stop saying who's cute in front of your mother. because our age group has a propensity to want to hook you up. >> all right. >> wendy: coming up, sheryl lee ralph is next right here! [ applause ] ♪ >> announcer: if you want to stay warm and cuddly, just put on a snuggie. it's the blanket with sleeves that keeps you totally warm while your hands stay free... available at retail everywhere. >> chorus: that's right! she's gonna be fine, we did find this. there's a five dollar bill inside your dog.

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>> wendy: not always did our next guest play brandy's mom on the hit show "moesha" but she was also dina in the hit broadway production and opened the door for many others to walk through. please welcome the original diva and friend to the show, sheryl lee ralph!

[ cheers and applause ] >> wendy: sheryl lee! sheryl lee, i love -- i love your hair! and i see you brought me hair. you can't hide it. you're not that big. >> girl, you all know how much i love wendy, right? and because you're so wiggy, girl, and we appreciate it, i brought you some hair! >> wendy: oh, my gosh, this is like your hair lady in the second row. what's your name? look! oh, sheryl lee, thank you! muh! muh! this is her hair. >> my girlfriend penny in california, i said to me put me together a fabulous lace front for miss wendy. that girl in the front, look at her hair. >> wendy: her hair's nice too, right. >> there you go. >> wendy: the audience is so well turned out. you were part of our six-week sneak peek.

you were one of the guests that helped us get picked up so we're here. >> thank you! thank you. >> wendy: thank you. >> and love that you're a diva of your word. you help people over time over the years and they forget about you. they say, you will call you. you will hear from us. but this stuff gets picked and you never hear from them again. but this girl gets picked up and says, come on back. >> wendy: i just love you. i love a littlenouveau. >> you know, they're sponsoring divas too so we love them even more. thank you, nouveau! >> wendy: listen -- >> not bad. it's champagne and what -- >> wendy: sparkling wine -- or white wine. it's not champagne wine, it's white wine and vodka. it's good, right? >> there you go! >> wendy: that's the kick you need. >> there you go right now. >> wendy: let's talk about your hair. >> yes, baby. >> wendy: i have never seen you with short hair. >> it's been a while. >> wendy: i have never seen you with short hair. >> you know what -- >> wendy: you look beautiful.

>> thank you. thank you very much. i cut all of my hair off after doing "dreamgirls" back in the day and i dyed it bright red and everybody thought i was a lesbian, so -- >> wendy: how you doin'? >> hey, how you doin'? so i didn't have it short for a long time. and then the other day, i caught off my own hair and then i said, oh, well maybe i need something more. then i put this on with the color. >> wendy: the red. >> and i really like it. >> wendy: what does the senator say? she's married to a senator, by the way. >> yes. >> wendy: and he's very handsome and sexy and thinks the world of you. >> when it comes to happily married, i am it. he loves the short hair. my husband loves just about anything i will do to my hair besides being bald. don't think he would like that but he loves just about anything. he hasn't seen this yet. >> wendy: oh, really? >> he will see it tonight. i'm going to do a reception for him atma manny yunk. >> wendy: that's in philadelphia. >> i will be there in philadelphia it evening for a

girlfriend's event. come on by if you're in philadelphia. that will be the first time he sees it. yes. >> wendy: sheryl lee is right now staying in new york. i heard you had to change your hotel because president barack obama is in the city. >> checked into the waldorf. why did i do that? every head of state, including our president barack obama -- i love to say that -- >> wendy: yes. >> love to say that. >> wendy: he's there. >> was there. and honey, it was an absolute madhouse. you could hardly pull up in front of the dog gone hotel. you can hardly check in. you could hardly step out. they wanted to check you in. they wanted to check you going out. if you had just checked in and forgot something going back in, had you to be checked again. so -- go ahead. >> wendy: now, in a case like this, do you use your senator husband's credentials to make sure that you get in there, or are you -- >> no, no, no. >> wendy: just a woman? >> you're just yourself. >> wendy: oh. >> you are just yourself. when it came to the point i couldn't cross the street, one of the police officer said miss

ralph, i know exactly who you are, but you can't cross the street. >> wendy: oh! >> so he said, hold on just a minute. so they went on got a bigger, higher-up police officer and said, come on, miss, ralph, i'll cross the street with you. i got a nice new york police escort across the street. >> wendy: every dignitary in the world is here, including our president. but the united nations is meeting, and the general assembly. >> and he's speaking today. >> wendy: so thank god he will be gone tomorrow and it will be back to business as usual in the city. >> i got to tell you, i checked out of the hotel. moved all the way downtown, came back up to take care of business and he was come ago cross town. >> wendy: have you ever met him? >> several times. >> wendy: do you know michelle? >> yes, i did meet her. >> wendy: she is lovely. >> she is very lovely and they're a great couple. >> wendy: don't forget to pick up the book on their marriage. >> you know, a lot of people question that marriage. i think they're a shining example of marrying with equal yoke. >> wendy: teamwork. teamwork. >> absolutely. and she's a great mom.

in fact, when we met shesh, she how do i do it? i said girl, i do it the way you do it. >> wendy: you're a great mother, too. when we go into simply singing, i will brag on you. she's got this son. how old is he now? >> my son is 17 now. i have a son and daughter. >> wendy: i know your son particularly does amazing work for charity. >> yes, he does. he did an episode of "my sweupe sweet 16" and he did a party with a purpose. he raised money for an aids orphan in south africa and that was the part of his birthday mtv never showed, but -- >> wendy: let's talk about your simply diva singing. this is the 19th year in a row. she has this event, tell. >> divinely inspired, victoriously anointed. that's what diva stands for! [ applause ] thank you. thank you. >> wendy: and so in honor of diva simply singing, which you do every single year. >> to raise awareness around hiv and aids. silently people want to ignore it and act like it's not

happening. just like a lot of kids around the suburbs are getting hooked on heroin. a lot of kids are coming up hiv positive. it does not have to happen, people! there's a test, testtogether.org. put in your zip code. get your ticket. come to l.a. come see divas simply singing. >> wendy: yes! >> evans is coming out, brenda russell, jessica reedy, who won the gospel show there on bet.e.. awful of the divas are coming out to sing to raise awareness. >> wendy: you remember this is for a good cause, divas simply singing. thank you so much for being here. >> i love you, girl! and i'm glad you are using the cup i gave you. thank you. remember? thank you. >> wendy: you did give me this cup, though. >> i had to borrow your ring. >> wendy: you deserve the diva fan! we will take a break and be right back. one more "hot topic." [ applause ]

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[ applause ] ♪ >> wendy: okay. thank you, audience. we have time for one more "hot topic." earlier in the show i asked you which movie star is refusing to marry his pregnant girlfriend. it's hoar holier than thou, mel gibson. can he judge everybody else. although his ex-wife stands to inherit about $500 million in the divorce settlement. so i wouldn't marry the pregnant one either, i guess. tom cruise and katie, they have a hot one on their hands. little suri. tom is filming. look at her high heels. 3 years old wearing the heel. and they're worn down like she wears them all the time. i hate it but i love it! tomorrow on the show, daisy

[captioning made possible by warner bros. domestic television distribution] 0e7 open -- >> today on "tmz" -- >> kanye west showed his face last nighta