tonight on "nightline," love and the bottom line. their televised wedding cost a rumored $10 million. but after only 72 days of marriage, kim kardashian and her nba beau are calling it quits. tonight, we rook at the business of reality romance. the accidental candidate. he's a former pizza titan, a graceful baritone -- ♪ why jesus came >> and the current front-runner in many republican presidential polls. but herman cain is already grabbing with a sex scandal. so, who is he? and can he win?

and, the dead files. he's a hardened cop. she's a psychic medium. and together, they set out to find out what evil lurks in this dank basement. we join them for a halloween visit to a real-life haunted house. >> announcer: from the glow wall global resources of abc news, with terry moran, cynthia mcfadden and bill weir in new york city this is "nightline," october 31st, 2011. >> good evening, i'm bill weir. for pure branding savvy, it would be tough for any madman to cop kim kardashian.and, herself since eclipsed her reality star beginnings in a recent blowout wedding with designer dresses and tv rights, was just business as usual. but now a twist. and questions about how the business might threaten the brand. here's abc's john donvan. >> why did kim kardashian file for divorce? >> reporter: so, the story breaks in the entertainment world today. >> was her 72-day marriage to

kris a giant tv stunt? >> reporter: and are we really supposed to be surprised? >> married just over two months, kim times for divorce. >> reporter: really? >> this fairy tale is over, after 72 days. >> reporter: 8:10 this morning, a los angeles courthouse, kim kardashian, famous for being famous, times for divorce, 72 days after saying her nuptials in a televised broadcast on the e net work. a four-hour ceremony that cost $10 million, which works out to $138,000 that she and kris humphries were man and wife. and though on the program they said it out loud. >> kim, as a symbol of my love for you, with this ring -- >> reporter: and -- >> til death do us part. >> reporter: it seems they won't, after all. after careful consideration, i have decided to end my marriage, kardashian said in a statement. i hope everyone understands this was not about easy decision.

i had hoped this marriage was forever. but sometimes, things don't work out as planned. we remain friends and wish each other the best. his statement said simply, i love my wife. and am devastated to learn she timed for divorce. >> we heard that kim really wanted to make this work. she really thought this is it for her. this is her fairy tale wedding. but kris did not put any effort into it. >> reporter: this is big stuff for some people, like those in new york city, keeping vigil this evening outside one of the kardashian several retail outlets. but really, a surprise? when you consider the pattern we have to show business weddings? jennifer lopez and chris judd, four months. mario lopez and ali landry, two weeks. britney spears and jason alexander, 55 hours. with all due respect to what may be the genuine feelings of the bride and groom and divorce is never easy, it's her second, is reallily unrbeasonable to ask i

maybe divorce was in it all alone? a sex tame made her famous. big scandal, big fame, followed by big money, with the modeling jobs, the acting gigs, a perfume line, magazine covers and all of it predicated on enough of us giving a hoot about this. no hoot, no loot. here's the thing, though. happily ever after, boring. divorce? opens the door to whole new chapters. so, was it in the script all along? >> you can have kids, which is always an interesting plot point for reality show. and a divorce is obviously about interesting plot point. people like drama. reality shows are about drama. >> reporter: really? as if nobody saw this coming. >> i think everybody saw this coming. i think stevie wonder saw this coming. there's lots of cynicism and doubt about the marriage to begin with. yes, this is no big surprise. >> reporter: come on. they were developing hints all over their reality show, "keeping up with the

kardashians." that awkward conversation about her not taking his last name. >> i live in a different world. i was raised in a different world than, like, yee-haw, minnesota, and -- >> four years ago, you sold clothes in a boutique in the valley. now, like, all of a sudden, you're miss princess. >> you knew what you were getting into. >> with what? >> with my work ethic, with everything -- >> my work ethic. >> yeah, that's it. keeping my kardashian name is a business decision. if you don't understand that then that's a problem for me. >> okay. well, then, maybe we have a problem. >> reporter: and there was the scene where kim's sister, who has her own basketball player husband, is all be predicting a breakup. >> kim falls in love with everyone. and that's great. but -- her nickname isn't elizabeth taylor just for the diamonds. >> reporter: well, maybe it is all real and if you give a hoot about this, that's probably worth more to kim than even her best wedding gift.

i'm john donvan for "nightline" in washington. >> good thing we kept the receipt on the "nightline" crock pot gift. and thanks to john donvan. whether it's 9-9-9 or old sexual harassment allegations, herman cain has a lot of explaining to do. how is he doing? stay tuned. [ engine roaring ] that's it, kyle. let's go home. [ busch ] all right, guys, let's get out of here. [ pneumatic drills whirring ] ♪ ♪ [ beep ] ♪ [ male announcer ] available 268 horsepower. class-leading mpg and intuitive mobile technology. ♪ workin' for the weekend [ male announcer ] introducing the reinvented 2012 toyota camry. it's ready. are you? [ busch ] ♪ ...second chance [ regis ] we love to play tennis. and with it comes some aches and pains.

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>> announcer: "nightline" continues from new york city with bill weir. >> a year from now, we may be talking about an october surprise. some stunning revelation that could change the fate of the 2012 presidential election. but this october? the surprise has been herman cain. pizza executive turned republican poll leader. his novel tax plan and campaign

ads have brought him a flash following, but his surge brought forth disturbing allegations from his past today. my co-anchor terry moran takes a look for our series, "the contend contenders." >> reporter: it's been a wild ride for herman cain. >> you see all these cameras following me around? >> reporter: he's vaulted to the top of the pomes in the republican race for president and he's had the time of his life doing it. >> you about to hug me? >> i was. >> don't hold back. >> reporter: he's introduced a radical new tax plan to the country with a relentless repetition of its simple formula of three tax rates. >> 9-9-9. >> lv your 9-9-9. >> thank you. >> reporter: he's lit up the gop faithful at the debates. >> businessman herman cain. ♪ everything's going to be all right ♪ >> reporter: he's run an

unconventional campaign. thinly staffed and highlighted with some of the most excentric commercials in recent history. >> some pretty flowers you got there, mister. >> uh-huh. >> pretty yellow flowers. >> reporter: and today, well, today things just got crazier. any comments on the allegations, sir? cain came to washington and straight into the whirlwind of a potentially explosive scandal over sexual harassment allegations. the story, first reported by politico, two women separately accused cain of unwanted sexual commercials and advances in the 1990s, when he ran the national restaurant association, a trade group. cain, they said, made sexual innuendos and invited one of the women to his hotel suite. abcc news has confirmed that the association paid settlements to the women. cain's response at a lunch at the national press club -- >> i have never sexually harassed anyone and those

accusations are totally false. >> reporter: but he did acknowledge he had been accused and investigated by the association. >> and it was concluded after a thorough investigation that it had no basis. as far as a settlement, i am unaware of any sort of settlement. i hope it wasn't for much, because i didn't do anything. >> reporter: that was his story at 1:00 p.m. later, in an interview on "the pbs news hour," cain elaborated. >> one incident with the one who made the formal charge, the only one that i could recall, after a day of trying to remember specifics, was once i referenced this lady's height and i was standing near her and i did this, saying, "you're the safe height as my wife," because my wife is five feet tall and she comes up to my chin. this lady is.

obviously she thought that was too close for comfort. it showed up in the actual allegation. >> reporter: and tonight, speaking to fox news, cain contradicted his earlier remarks, saying he did recall details of a financial settlement of the allegations. >> we ended up settling for what would have been a termination settlement, quite frankly -- >> what would that be about? >> maybe three months salary or something like that, just vaguely trying to recall it. >> i think it's a big deal only if we see it go somewhere from here because right now, it's a he said she said story. we don't have much more than that. >> reporter: so, another shoe needs to drop. >> another shoe needs to drop in order for this to kind of take on a heaviness that could weigh down the cain candidacy. >> reporter: but right now, cain is soaring. >> you're a breath of fresh air. >> thank you. >> reporter: he connects, projecting a take-charge,

executive personality to voters craving leadership and unlike the other republicans, he does it with infectious flare and fun. today at the press club luncheon, he serenaded the reporters with an old gospel hymn, delivered with genuine feeling. ♪ he looked beyond ♪ all my faults >> reporter: it's been the most unlikely of campaigns so far, this longest of long shots in the republican field. and now, as he grapples with the fallout from the sexual harassment allegations, herman cain faces a test. can he keep this wild ride to the top of the polls going? this morning, he made clear he intends to try. >> yes, i am an unckoconvention candidate and yes, i do have a sense of humor. and some people have a problem

with that. but to quite my chief of staff and all of the people i've talked to around this country, herman be herman. and herman is going to stay herman. thank you very much. >> our thanks to terry moran. coming up next on this halloween night, if you think there's no such thing as ghosts, how do you explain what goes on in this basement? if insurance were sold in the grocery store -- whoa, wait. whoa, whoa. wait a minute. what? just like that? did you even see the allstate? it's cute. what is it? great insurance. you get accident forgiveness, deductible rewards, safe-driving bonus checks, plus a free lifetime membership in good hands roadside assistance just for calling. sold. tiny tow truck -- works every time. shop less. get more. make one call to an allstate agent.

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it is ghostbusters meets columbo. take a scene where paranormal activity has been reported, then let two investigators in. one a former new york city homicide detective, the other, a psychic medium. figure out which one can explain it better. here is abc's john berman with this halloween hair-raiser. >> reporter: amy al lan seeing here's an older man up here and he's like, really old and decrepit and he's dying. i think the kids pick on him. >> reporter: if if this is all hard for you do believe, imagine

what it is like for this grizzled guy. ten years ago, if you told steve di schiavi he'd be talking about ghosts -- >> i would have said i wouldn't be doing it. >> reporter: for 23 years, steve was a new york city homicide detective a no nonsense cop. but now? >> she's the real deal. that's what i tell people. >> reporter: demons, ghosts? >> everything. stuff like that. there's something going on. >> reporter: an incredible m metamorphosis. the key behind this partnership known as "the dead files." pretty big transformation. >> for a guy like me? huge. huge. >> reporter: it's a hit show on the travel channel, based on a simple concept. amy and steve investigate strange, mysterious cases. each on their own, no contact with the other and then compare moments at the end. steve does it his way and amy hers. >> i'm a physical medium. >> reporter: which means? >> i see and hear dead people like i see and hear you. >> reporter: are you feeling

anything right now? >> no. well -- no. >> reporter: what was the well? >> you have a guy standing behind you and -- yeah. things like that. >> reporter: should that bother me? >> no. it's just people. >> reporter: right. there's a guy standing behind me. how is that going for me? sounds scary. but not nearly as terrifying as what amy found here in one episode. the owner of plan b, jeffrey, had been complaining of strange bumps, weird voices and a bad, creepy feeling pervading his restaurant. >> immediately i look around because i feel like it should be someone right next to me, speaking to me and there's nobody around. makes my hair stand up. >> is the there any place in the restaurant you can show me -- >> the basement is really pretty -- pretty frightening. >> reporter: what steve discover bid checking the records, there had been a brutal murder in that basement 14 years ago.

a laborer in what was then an antique shop killed the owner, bashing him in the head with a hammer. steve talked to the cops who worked the case. >> and then he stands over and hits him more in the head, while he's down on the ground. >> reporter: mean white, without speaking to steve or getting any specifics about the case, amy checks out the basement herself. >> one is despair and one is anger and the anger is pounding on the despair. these are people. >> reporter: steve goes to prison and talks to the convicted murderer. >> did you want to kill him or did you just want to make a point by hitting her upside the head? >> just make a point. don't touch me. >> reporter: you made your point nine or ten times. you know that, right? >> reporter: amy works with a sketch artist. she comes one a face for the presence she feels. they compare notes at the end and pictures. >> first i was like -- is this a

joke? this is impossible. i just interviewed this guy. i said, i just talked to this guy in prison. >> reporter: but that was only half of what she found. >> there's something laughing and growling and touching my arm. i'm not getting a human form with this thing. in the catholic religion, these types of things would be referred to as a demodemon. they're extremely rare. >> amy says there's a demon in the basement, there's a demon in the basement. >> reporter: period? >> enough for me. >> amy, this has me really freaked out. can this be affecting me inside these four warms and can it follow me outside these four walls? >> um -- yes, to both. >> reporter: that's where the show ends and we pick up. >> if i'm home during the day, i

can hear movement, i hear foot stomping and -- and i know i'm the only one in the building. >> it's only in your at tick that you hear this -- >> i hear it in the bedroom. which is underneath the attic. >> first thing that i saw was a little boy -- >> reporter: we all went to jeffrey's home to see if there was any trace of the demon. what amy found? >> there are spoiled children that are supposed to be good, but they're not. and they make dooech use plans. >> reporter: so, the good news? >> they have crazy kids. >> reporter: no demon. >> yeah, which is good. >> i'm okay with that, kids you can deal with. you can yell at hem, reprimand them and maybe -- >> right. >> reporter: so everyone is happy here. >> yes. >> reporter: no demons. for "the dead files," case closed. i'm john berman for "nightline" in asbury park, new jersey. >> but there's still a