[Confucius]

Sorry so long...

At the movies this week, it’s the new Sanaa Lathan comedy Something New. The movie is a romantic comedy based on an interracial relationship between Sanaa and Actor Simon Baker. Blair Underwood, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Donald Faison, Mike Epps, Golden Brooks and Alfre Woodard also star.
It’s been a rough press event for Sanaa because everywhere she goes, she gets asked about Denzel Washington. Were they more than co-stars in Out of Time? Sanaa has been putting on a brave face, but she is quite annoyed at the line of questioning. Her publicist has been playing the bad cop. If you ask her about Denzel, the question will be edited out. In the March issue of Essence magazine, it’s a split cover with Sanaa sharing the cover with Tyler Perry and the cast of the film Madea’s Family Reunion. In the Essence interview, Sanaa states, I’m not pregnant. I have not been pregnant, nor would I have an affair with a married man, or have a married man’s child.
Now speaking of Denzel, there’s a nice picture of him, his wife Pauletta and their son, John David, in the latest issue of Jet magazine. The picture, in the issue with Martin Lawrence on the cover, is on page 41. By the way, congrats to Martin on a great opening weekend for Big Mommas House 2. The movie has already grossed over $30 million at the box office.


Now speaking of Something New, Oscar Winner Halle Berry is enjoying something new in the form of a new romance. He’s a blonde, 30 year-old Canadian. His name is Gabriel Aubry, and he is the male face for Versace. Halle is the female face for their latest campaign. Halle has been very public with this romance. Unlike her other romances, she wants to be seen kissing and groping this man.
So what happened to Actor Michael Ealy? She used to date him? I hear he has commitment issues, and they broke up. He is currently dating a woman who looks like Halle, only younger. Halle’s going to have to be careful with this new man. Gabriel is a ladies man. If she thought she had problems with ex-husband Eric Benet, watch out Halle! Gabriel is a handful! He gives new meaning to loving the ladies. Sources say Gabriel wants to be famous, and he’s just using Halle to get there.


The 78th Annual Academy Awards take place March 5th on ABC. Congrats to Terrence Howard who has been nominated for Best Actor for Hustle & Flow. He also starred in the ensemble movie Crash, which was nominated for six awards including Best Picture.


Dave Chappelle talks to Oprah about why he walked away from a $50 million deal with the Comedy Central Network. Dave said he was very unhappy with the direction of the show.


A Destiny’s Child Reunion? Yes! I know they broke up four months ago, but they will be appearing for one final time at the NBA All-Star game in Houston.


Did the MTV Network exploit Gerald Levert’s daughter? Gerald thinks so. Last year, his oldest daughter Carlisia was featured on MTV’s popular teen show, Sweet 16. Carlisia did not come off well after the show was edited. She appeared to be a spoiled brat and Gerald says this is not the case. He wishes she never did the show. He says the editing was unfair because his daughter is not like the person you saw on TV. He says he was disappointed. He also says his daughter was the victim of a vicious internet hate mail campaign. He feels people now have a bad impression of his daughter, and she was unfairly attacked. Gerald will be spending most of the year touring in a stage play, and working on a new wine collection he is releasing next year. Gerald says he’s working on a Merlot and a Chardonnay.


Now speaking of spoiled brats, is Bow Wow a spoiled brat? According to Producer Jermaine Dupri, he is. Dupri discusses his relationship with Bow Wow in his new book, Young, Rich & Dangerous. In addition to revealing that Bow Wow is a brat, he also discusses his feud with Eminem and working with Usher and Mariah Carey. Dupri also answers the million dollar question: how in the heck did he wind up with Janet Jackson? Back to Bow Wow, if he is a spoiled brat, he better get it in check. I love him, but I was disappointed to hear him criticizing Will Smith. He doesn’t need to do this to get ahead or prove that he is hard. He should look to Will for inspiration as far as succeeding and lasting in this business.


Why did Singer Lou Rawls have to suffer at the end of life? Rawls married a much younger women during his final years, and the truth is coming out about what went wrong and how he tried to end the marriage before his death. Lou married a Golddigger, and before he realized it, it was too late. Most of his money was gone. Sources say he was forced to sign papers not to end the marriage. He was not in his right frame of mind when he signed papers to adopt a young infant. What kind of hold did this woman, a former airline stewardess, have over him? At his funeral, Nina Inman dressed him in casual wear, and she wouldn’t let his oldest children, Louanna and Lou Jr., sit with the family. Inman had a difficult relationship with Louanna. She even went so far as to tell Louanna on tape, Your father was too dumb to get a prenup! Oh my gosh! The nerve of this woman! To think Lou had to suffer not only with cancer, but at the hands of a woman who was using him.


Usher says he is not in love with his former stylist. Tameka Foster used to be Usher’s stylist. Then, she decided to leave her husband and kids and be his lady. Usher says he and Foster are just friends. Hmmmm! Then why did she leave her family?


The music world lost another one this past week. Singer/Songwriter/Producer Gene McFadden died last week from liver and lung cancer. He died at his Philadelphia home. He had been very sick for the past year. McFadden was the other half of the successful Sound of Philadelphia singing group McFadden & Whitehead. A year and a half ago, John Whitehead was gunned down in front of his home. In 1979, they topped the charts with Ain’t No Stopping Us Now. They wrote many songs with Gamble and Huff including Wake Up Everybody, I’ll Always Love My Mama, Let’s Groove and Backstabbers, to name a few.


Fayard Nicholas of the famed Nicholas Brothers also died last week. Fayard, along with his brother Harold, were two of the best dancers of the 20th century. Harold died in 2000, and Fayard passed away last week at the age of 91. He was battling pneumonia following a stroke.


The 48th Annual Grammy Awards air next week on the 8th. The show will be shown live on CBS. One of the highlights of the show is a rumored reunion of Sly & The Family Stone. Sly Stone has not appeared in public in 20 years. Back in the 70’s, Sly Stone ruled the charts with Stand, Everyday People, Hot Fun in the Summertime, Dance to the Music and Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin). Sly & The Family Stone, which included Larry Graham, gave us some of the best music in the world. But, Sly was a troubled man, and his drug addictions didn’t help. Will Sly show up and make music history again? The night is going to be huge with performances by Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Bono, John Legend, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Hezekiah Walker & The Love Fellowship Choir, Joss Stone and there will be a special Grammy induction for the legendary comedian Richard Pryor, who died last year.


There’s a new Bond Girl in town. Actress Thandie Newton (Crash, Mission Impossible 2, Beloved) will be joining the new James Bond Actor Daniel Craig in the latest Bond installment, Casino Royale.


Comedian Tracy Morgan is going to have to get his drinking under control. The former star of Saturday Night Live was recently arrested for drunk driving, and he is scheduled for trial later this month.


American Idol Judge Paula Abdul needs a man, and she is turning to Dr. Phil for help. Paula will be joining Doctor Phil on Valentine’s Day for his CBS Special, Love Smart. Paula describes herself as an unmarried international celebrity. She wants a man who is comfortable with her success, and isn’t overwhelmed by her emotions (she must be a drama queen). Can Dr. Phil help Paula find Mr. Right. Paula’s last boyfriend was using her to advance his own acting career. Then there was American Idol Contestant Corey Clark. Did she have an affair with him? Then there are her two failed marriages.


Now speaking of American Idol, is famous Runner-up Clay Aiken ready to come out of the closet? Aiken swears he’s not gay, but some of his male lovers claim he is, and they are talking. One is a former green beret who claims he met Aiken on the internet. He says their love affair started shortly after they hooked up. And, he has the washrag to prove it. Yes! The washrag! I know it’s disgusting, but that’s where you can get the DNA. Will Aiken ever fess up, or will he just be more careful with who he picks up?


Video Vixen Karrine Steffans is not letting a failed romance with HBO Talk Show Host Bill Maher get her down. Karrine is now back with former love, Singer Ray J. Yes! Brandy’s little brother is all grown up, and in Steffans book, Confessions of Video Vixen, she goes into detail about his lovemaking skills. GO RAY J!


The heat is on New York Knicks President Isiah Thomas. For years, Thomas led the Detroit Pistons as one of the “Bad Boys of the NBA.” Nowadays, he is charge of the New York Knicks, who are having an awful season. Last week, Thomas was accused of sexually harassing a woman who use to work for the Knicks. Anucha Brown-Sanders is married, and she claims Thomas refused to stop making sexual advances towards her. She also says she was fired from her job as the senior vice president for marketing for the Knicks when she complained. Thomas says this is nonsense. He says she’s just looking for a quick buck. Brown-Sanders also claims Thomas encouraged Sunday afternoon games in the hopes that visiting players would party all night in New York and then be too tired to play the next day. She says he would make arrangements with the strip clubs so visiting teams could have fun. Thomas also had to face of the heat from his son Marc. The 19 year-old looks just like his dad, but he has never met him. That’s because Thomas conceived the child with another woman during his 20-year marriage. Thomas paid child support begrudgingly, but he never made an effort to see his son. Thomas’s wife Lynn says she will stand by her man as they weather this storm. She says she knows when he’s lying and when he’s telling the truth. Thomas has two other children with his wife.


Actress Countess Vaughn (“Kim” from The Parkers and Moesha) is having a hard time losing weight even though she is currently starring in the latest version of VH1’s Celebrity Fitness show. Could it be her butt implants? Maybe they are getting in the way as she tries to slim down. One thing she’s trying to lose is her husband of three years. After they became parents, they decided to divorce.


Now that she’s getting herself together with the Fugees and wearing makeup again, a lot of people are wondering where is Lauryn Hill’s man, Rohan Marley? Marley is the father of her four kids, but he has found a new love. She’s a 20 something hottie who’s very thin. He’s been seen with her drinking and getting high. Rohan put Lauryn through it with his cheating, and sources say it was one of the reasons she dropped out of the public spotlight.


D.L. Hughley is coming to NBC to star in a new TV series with former Friends star Matthew Perry.


Damon Wayans is coming to the Showtime Network to star in a half hour sketch comedy series called The Underground. The ten episode series will debut this fall.


A baby shower was held over the weekend for new parents, Actress Angela Bassett and her husband Actor Courtney Vance. The twins, a boy and a girl, were born last week via a surrogate mother.


Daddy’s coming back! Bobby Brown is putting the young-ins on notice. He warns Usher, Omarion and the others to watch out. He says the mini-me’s will have to step back as he gets his career on track. Bobby is ready to take over the music scene. He claims it’s time he got back to work making money. He says he wants Whitney to stay at home and be a wife and mother. He says for years, she worked. Now, it’s time for him to bring home the money. Meanwhile, no one has seen Whitney since she was spotted wandering around disheveled in a fur coat outside of a gas station in Georgia.


WHAT’S THE UNDERGROUND BUZZ??!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


These two basketball superstars have a lot in common. One is a current star and the other one is a Former Star. They both cheat on their wives and they lose money all the time at the gambling tables.


This young NBA Mother needs help. She is living the high life, to put it mildly. For years, she struggled as a single mom, but her son helped them climb out of poverty. He went from high school to the NBA, and now he is a superstar with million dollar endorsements. He has given his mother everything: cars, jewelry, houses, trips, furs, but what she needs is help in the form of rehab. She’s out of control. She has already embarrassed him. Will she admit she has a problem and get the help she needs?