Alicia Keys, Jay-Z won't do World Cup song

Mo 'York'? That's the word today from Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' camp, who were supposed to collab again to record an anthem for the World Cup.
The duo, who garnered immediate success with "Empire State of Mind," and gained an immediate groupie by the named of Lil Mama, couldn't put lightning in a bottle a second time. According to Keys, the pair didn't feel comfortable enough with the sport, with Keys indicating her unfamiliarity would hurt the music. "If we did a record about soccer it would be obvious we didn't know much more about the sport than who David Beckham is,” said Keys, who dropped "Empire State of Mind 2" on her album "The Element of Freedom".
Of course, that hasn't stopped music executives in the past from cashing in or trends, and it obviously hasn't stopped fans from buying songs by artists who they don't understand (Yeah, Souljaboy, YOU tellem).
While it's questionable as to whether the two would be able to produce a track with the same passion and truthfulness that "Empire" had, it's no question that Lil Wayne, if he were free, would have not only jumped at the chance, but put a few rhymes together in, say, the time it takes red syrup to be poured into Styrofoam.
Don't worry, A. Keys, and Jay, "Empire" is aging just fine, thank you.


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"Mr. and Mrs. Twitter"

They say that in marriage, communication is the thing. With Hollywood stars Ashton Kutcher and wifey Demi Moore-Kutcher, they've taken that saying and flipped it to millions of people.
On the social networking site, Twitter, no couple exudes the power and influence that the Kutchers have. Together they reach more almost 7 million people. Everyday.
That's the population of Switzerland or Honduras. That's the total number of people in the United States in jail or on probation. The Kutchers most literally have the "tweets heard round the world."
To put in simple, Ashton is bigger than CNN. In fact, he beat out CNN in a race to be the first person on Twitter to have 1 milion followers (He now has over 4 million).
Also, to give an example of the influence the Kutchers have, the president of the United States talks to the American people weekly via Youtube video every Saturday. In a country of more than 300 million, he averages about 1 million views  and sometimes as low as 161,000.
The Kutchers, communication-wise, may be the most powerful couple in the world.
The Kutchers are not just using their following status for superficial niceties online, they are seriously trying to help.
Ashton, 32, or "Aplusk" as he is not in Twitter world, came to recognition on "That 70s Show" before launching "Punk'd" on MTV, a celebrity prank show. Before and after, he's starred in a handful of movies, none of which pulled in the 4 million people that he has following him.
Demi Moore-Kutcher could most simply be called "Bruce Willis' ex-wife" except that it is more accurate that Bruce was "Demi Moore's" ex-husband. (You ever heard her referred to as Demi Willis? #MESSAGE).
But how did this run-of-the-mill, average Hollywood couple achieve such power?
We. Don't. Know. All we know, is if you've got a Twitter account, you follow Aplusk and mrskutcher.


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With Rogers out, will White House be as fun?

Do know what it means to mix New Orleans ... with Chicago's flair and style? That's essentially what former White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers -- who should be gone by Wednesday, the end (Ides) of March, was when she was tapped to run events at the president's Washington residence.
Desiree Rogers had the sensitivities that living and surviving in Chitown taught her; she was an entertainer and executive in her own right who knew her way around fortune 500 businesses. She was stylish. She was filet gumbo.
The White House had poetry readings, Earth, Wind and Fire concerts, Stevie Wonder. Now, we'll wait to see what kind of events Julianna Smoot (I got dibs on her nickname, J-Smoove) puts on, which i'm sure will be nice and proper.
But to be sure, the White House has lost something, I don't exactly know what though. Not to diss her replacement, Julianna Smoot, who apparently is a fund-raising titan (you can always use one of those), but she's from North Carolina. Again, I love N.C., but the social mixture that Rogers brought to the table will be hard to duplicate or even imitate.
Now, in Smoot's defense, I think she'll check credentials a bit closer and be more hands on than Rogers, but everybody makes mistakes, right?
Hopefully, Rogers can land in a role that takes advantage of her background as well as connections. She'll be alright. It's the rest of us I worry about.


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Tameka Foster: Don't blame me for last album

Recent Raymond divorcee' Tameka Foster says don't pin Usher's last album, "Here I Stand," on her. The followup to the 2004 smash "Confessions," didn't hold up well with Usher adapting the music and lyrics to a married lifestyle.
Foster says don't blame her. “People say it’s my fault he made all those songs,” she told the New York Times recently.
Foster, who's had to defend herself in different ways since the breakup became public, says the problem is with Usher's fans, who haven't grown with the singer.
“It was saddening,' she says. "For a man to find a mate and profess their love publicly, and then for fans to be mad at him just shows the immaturity in so many of them.”
Does she have a point? Usher has been taking his shirt off on stage and on videos since he was 14. When the sex appeal ran into a brick-wall-realization that he wasn't the same person, fans deserted him. But "Here I Stand" wasn't a disaster by any means.
The single "Love in This Club" proved popular to younger fans, and Usher actually sold 443,000 copies in the first week. But "Confessions" sold 10 milli.
Now, Usher hopes "Raymond v. Raymond" returns him to the raw, scandalized, bedroom secret success of "Confessions."
Foster probably wanted him to cater to older fans ala Brian McKnight, or Joe, but Usher's DNA screams otherwise. Since he just got a divorce, so will his wallet.


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Vivian Green: "Beautiful"

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Wayna "My Love"

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Nneka "Africans"

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Erykah Badu 'Window Seat'

Click here for the backward version of this video.




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Tyra Loves Booty

Aaah, Tyra Banks must be a black man. Why? Because she seems to love a big booty just like one. Doesn't matter if it's hers, a man's or a womans.
Tyra is a grabber, too.
This revelation is not new to anyone who watches her top-rated show, but I don't watch it so I usually get my fill from "Talk Soup" or commercials.
But does Tyra want to promote big bootiness to all her fans? Do people want a donk or is a regular one quite okay?
Tyra promotes the donk. Despite the fact that 90% of her target audience shrieks in terror at the thought of owning a true glutus maximus.
And who better than Buffie "The Body," who has actually put in unknown manhours to achieve that back end, to appear to Tyra's show.
She says, and I quote: "The girls with the hips and the booty were the popular girls at school. ... I don't like being skinny." So she went to the booty doctor. "He gave me a list of foods that was high in calories .. i went from like 119 [lbs] to 170 now." Really? (Cue the wide-eyed excitement).
Does Buffie expect us to believe that she got all that from spinach?




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Where is Jill Marie Jones?

Never has a supporting character been as missed as Toni Childs was on the hit sitcom "Girlfriends" when she abruptly left the show over contractual reasons. In a lot of ways actress Jill Marie Jones did a famous disappearing act in real life, too.
The Texas native's projects have been few and far between since leaving the show (same with other cast members such as Golden Brooks, etc.) at the height of its popularity in 2006. Jones, understandably, felt she had bigger fish to fry, larger walls to climb. The only problem is, it hasn't happened yet. Even Tracee Ellis Ross has resurfaced albeit haltingly, but Jones has been especially incognito.
As to why she left "Girlfriends," she reportedly said: "I left because I wanted to do movies. My contract was up after my sixth season and people forget that just like the network can choose whether or not to renew your contract, I can also choose and evaluate whether or not I want to come back."
She went on to star in "Major Movie Star" with Jessica Simpson, but hasn't score a major project since then.
She did have a lead in 2007's "Redrum" (below), but as far when she'll return to the big screen or small screen, we -- like all of you -- are hoping for the best.




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Rumor Alert: Is Beyonce Really Pregnant?

The blogosphere is atwitter with news that Sasha Fierce, um, Beyonce is preggers.
Is it true? Well, it's being reported in the Huffpo, which we think would check things out before posting, but then we saw who they were quoting as a source, and well, we just don't know.
That being said, hubby Jay-Z has reportedly said that he'd want kids, and even Beyonce, during an appearance on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" has remarked that she wanted a gangload of kids.
This all comes after Bey announced that she was taking a break after a monstrous tour and doing a couple projects with her new ace boon coon, Lady Gaga.
Still, we're abit skeptical. I mean if Bey is preggers then that means she and her father would have had kids about a year -- or months -- apart.
Of course, in some parts, that's okay.


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Do You 'Blame it on the Alcohol?'

I know a girl that loves to have a good time, but every now and then she goes a little overboard. The next day she basically looks innocent as an angel.
she routinely doesn't remember (so she claims) or acts like someone "must've put something in my drink" the night before, but me wonders: Is she blaming it on the alcohol?
We all know people that can't hold their liquor, but what about someone who doesn't learn their lesson, despite the same scene being repeated on and on?
College should have taught you what brown liquor does, what sweet drinks do, and what beer brings about. Did you not learn?

What would a Kanye-Amber Rose Wedding Look Like?

Matrimony. Wedding bliss. When two people make that solemn commitment to each other, you can oftentimes see the stars -- the hopes -- in their eyes.
Well, Kanye West and Amber Rose, are we there yet?
No rush here, but if Kanye and his model love do say those magical words --with this ring I thee wed -- it would look like a surreal scene out of some Tarantino movie, no doubt.
While the two have only been dating for about a year now, they have had a lifetime of experiences, and Amber Rose has defended Kanye on more than one occasion. This is how it would go down:
The Best Man: Jay-Z would probably do the honors. I know, I know, he hasn't known the College Dropout for a terribly long time, but it'd be a big honor for Kanye, who looks up to him. (Besides, Jay gave Kanye his big break, using his beats on "The Blueprint," and then signing him to the Roc record label).
Maid of Honor: While Bey would be a favorite, we think Amber would probably dig into her past for this one. None other than her former BFF/boyfriend pal, Tiffany aka "Trevon". I know, I know, freaky.
Reverend: Okay, I'll bet Rev Run came to mind, didn't it? Well, I think ole Kanye, being from the Chi, is going to go traditional for this one and bring in somebody of the cloth back home. Besides, Rev Run is awful busy with Twitter these days.
Of course the guest list would be a who's who of the music and fashion industries, with live performances by a select few artists that Kanye admires. The treat however would be the reception, which Dr. Dre would be the deejay. Kanye has credited Dre as his inspiration for beat-making.
To top it off, Ye and Amber would parade around the reception hall, slizzard for all to see.
Well, will all this happen? And if so, when?



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Somebody yelled 'STRIPPER FIGHT!'

Evidently not satisfied with the patrons ability to "make it rain," a gang of strippers at an Atlanta strip club decided to bring the pain, according to the AJC.
One of them got shanked in the fisticuffs and had to go to Grady Memorial Hospital with knife wounds.
Now, what would make a bunch of law-abiding, upstanding citizen-hos come to blows? I mean, isn't it enough that during a recession you're able to show a little leg and get a grown man to forfeit his baby's pamper money? I mean, what EGGXACTLY do you want?
There were no reports of champagne bottle-popping or glass breaking so we'll take that as a good sign.


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Girls Year Out: Less Dates as Economy Stalls

It's a recession in more ways than one. The current economy that the nation is experiencing has caused a somewhat new phenomenon in the world of dating and relationships. As customs go, it is traditional for the man to take his women out periodically here and there. Even if the two weren't a "couple" they could still fraternize as platonic entities in public i.e. movie buddies, mall rats, etc. Calling up a person of the opposite sex and going out was a nice and welcome gesture that broke up the monotony of staying home all week after a series of stressful shifts. But due to new reasons, most likely monetary, also the demise of dating, ritualistic girls night out? Well, it's slowly turning into a girls year out for many women.
"Dudes aren't even stepping to me anymore," one girl recently told me. The way she put it, many folks have lost their jobs, especially black men, and they just aren't up to going out anymore, or even hanging out. Women are going it alone these days. In flocks. In droves.
Don't get me wrong, it's been headed this way for quite a while, but it's almost now like men and women are increasingly living in one-gender worlds: Women see and talk to nothing but women. Some men hang out with, play with, deal with only men.
Has it come to that?

Rihanna's 'Rude Boy' rules charts

Rihanna's hit single "Rude Boy" has reached No. 1 on the hot 100 charts, according to Billboard. RiRi has been here before. Here's a rundown of her No. 1s:
"Live Your Life" featuring T.I. - 2008
"Disturbia" - 2008
"Take a Bow" - 2008
"Umbrella" featuring Jay-Z - 2007
"SOS" - 2006
Some artists may make fun of her, but Rihanna is getting it in on the charts, which means dollar signs for the music industry, and her pockets (when she's wearing them). Since her infamous incident with Chris Brown her album 'Rated R', the cover girl has spawned three singles -- "Russian Roulette," "Hard," and now "Rude Boy" -- that have all landed in the Top 10. Lest we forget, she got a Grammy last year for "Run This Town," not to mention she's been appointed as one of Barbados' honorary cultural ambassadors. Can your Bey do that? (just kidding, sorta)



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The Perfect Woman? Get Real

The nerds have finally did it: They have created what they call "The Perfect Woman," a robotic female that does their every command with an uncanny realness.
No more head aches. No more unexplainable crying during the ballgame. That's it.
Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, technology has done the unthinkable. As always, we can blame the Japanese. It was just a matter of time before the epicenter of all things electronic -- and Godzilla -- would try to accomplish what God has chosen not to. I don't know if these 'women' are for sale or not, but if I happen to be jollying down the isle at Sears, or Home Depot (no, Lowes, Lowes would have them) then I may be tempted to "kick the tires" so to speak, but no thank you. I'll pass (unless they come out with black ones).
Seriously, you can't put femininity in a can. Besides my worst nightmare is a race of Terminator babes with a faulty kill-switch and a quick trigger finger. No thanks.
Check the video below:



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Where is Jaguar Wright NOW?

Bursting on the scene with a energetic, soulful, Gospel-tinged voice, Philly artist Jaguar Wright, may have left the airwaves but has never stopped performing music.
Doing strictly live shows and rolling with the Okay Player collective, Wright has blessed stages all around the world for the past eight years off the strength of 2.5 albums. In 2002, she debuted with "Denials, Delusions & Decisions," a record that combined the hip-hop beats ala Mary J. Blige, but with vocals sung in angelic smoothness, closer to the neosoul movement that it had sprung up around.
But Wright was no angel.
She had a little Millie Jackson in her, too, as evidence by not only the raw second verse of "When You Love Your Man," but from a very public spat with her mother-in-law who she has gone on record as calling "nuts ... delusional." Wow, that's tough talk toward fam.
Wright followed up the success of her debut with "Divorcing Neo 2 Marry Soul," a great record for those that had listened close enough to the strain -- the pain -- in Wright's first joint and which chronicles the end of her fascination not just with a flawed lover, as many of the songs detail, but her disgust with the music business as well.
A third album, "...And Your Point Is?" never saw the light of day due to the demise of MCA Records, her label.
So, where is Jaguar Wright now? She's still touring and communicating with the fans via Twitter and Myspace, where she released two new tracks last year.
We can expect big things in the future.


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Louie Luggage That Bites

The biblical saying "Don't give your pearls to swine" has taken on a new meaning with one artist's bold fashion statement. Called "Excessory Baggage," the sculptures include a Louie Vuitton-designed pig as luggage.
I think it's a pig. It might be a dog.

The images are a little creepy to say the least, but they show, to me, how luxurious items can be bought and worn by the most unappreciative people, swine, in fact. The works, by artist Meryl Smith, are from her blog, Meryl Smith. Whaddaya porking around fer? Order yours now. There's nothing like the look of high-priced fashion -- and the smell of bacon. What a combo!


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Are they hotter than us?

All this talk about childhood obesity and health care has hidden perhaps a symptom of the American way of life: Our belief that we're hotter than anybody else on the planet.
I mean, sure some of them may sound cooler than us (Et tu, cute'?) but deep down we've always thought of ourselves as really good-looking folks.
But not if we keep eating like we're eating.
Actually it may already be too late. See, baby boomers were the last generation to raise their children on homecooked -- every Sunday -- family meals. The generation after that knew the cashier of McDonalds and Arby's on a first name basis. Waistlines have expanded accordingly. Now, even our first-graders have little pouches for stomachs that protrude while doing the most basic childhood exercises: running.
In Europe it's not much better, but it seems that it is, especially in Eastern Europe, where they make models (you realize they make 'em over there, right?).
Here's a good reason why you haven't heard the word "Eurotrash" in the last decade. Mainly because Ameritrash is getting much more obvious. Painfully so.


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Celebrity style: Thandie Newton

How many actresses do you know have studied archaeology and anthropology in college?
How many of them can claim to be of royalty?
How many can say they named their daughter after the lead character in an alien film?
Thandie (/TAN-dee/) can.
Born to a Zimbabwean mother and English father, actress Thandie Newton grew up straddling two worlds. She claims her mother is from the reknown Shona tribe in Africa, and that she is a princess.
That makes Thandie royalty.
She has two daughters, Ripley and Nico, born of her marriage of 12 years to English producer Ol Parker.
One of her more interesting quotes from a while back was when she disclosed that she was gay as a teenager.
"We're all potentially bisexual," she told the Advocate. "It all depends on your circle, your upbringing and all kinds of things. Or maybe I'm just talking about myself. I could've easily fallen in love with a woman over a man."
That husband of hers just doesn't know how dramatically different his life almost was.


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The Kanye Factor

The hottest rapper not in jail is Kanye West.
Sorry, Jay-Z. Apologies to T.I., Lupe, etc. Kanye musically has the Midas touch, and his peers know that more than anybody. Ask Common or John Legend, who's albums breathe Kanye's elastic soulfulness. Ask Maroon 5. Ask T-Pain. Ask Drake.
Kanye's time to take the throne is now, similar to when Jay-Z, by default, reached hip-hop's highest echelon. If it were not for the untimely deaths of the Notorious B.I.G. and 6 months before him, Tupac Shakur, it is arguable that rap fans would even know Jay-Z outside of New York.
Kanye is in a similar situation, with his mentor, Jay-Z, comtemplating time off to spend with Beyonce, and no elite rapper on the scene or for the forseeable future, now just may be time for Kanye to assume rap's top throne. All he has to do is stay out of jail, and stay alive (both are hard for a rapper these days). Of course, there have already been missteps, but nobody's perfect.
The measure of a good artist used to be in his/her crossover appeal. Kanye nailed that in one album and has since taken off into the other-worldly-realms of exploring rock and classical music.
The throne is his for the taking, but will he take it?



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Despite sales, Ciara's music is built to last

You might not be able to tell from record sales, but Ciara's catalog of music, spaced out over her three albums so far, will likely have more staying power than, say, Rihanna's and maybe even Beyonce's.
While Beyonce and artists like Monica and Keri Hilson have capitalized on the sound of Now, Ciara's sound is futuristic, robotic even. Her music is sonically closer to Aaliyah's than any other artist. CiCi isn't the only female artist out there with lackluster sales though.
While music will continue to get more computerized, and less organic, her sound prove more durable over the long haul. Now, that won't do her any good in the short term, as newcomers continue to eat up ever-shrinking market share around her, but people will one day appreciate her for what she was. In other words, those Goodies may last forever.


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Will Lisa Raye's reality show be any good?

Just when you thought that there wasn't anybody else you'd sit in front of a TV screen for and watch their daily ramblings, up comes Lisa Raye McCoy.
"The Real McCoy" is TVOne's entry into the reality TV format after watching cable heavyweights BET and MTV (who brought the genre to the U.S. market) eat up ratings.
The thing is, some of these reality shows are boring. I mean, I love Monica, but watching her record an album? I'd rather watch a Starbucks barista whip up a white chocolate mocha.
And Terry Crews? First of all, he should call himself "the big guy" because that's what he's known as. But Lisa Raye has had her fair share of drama, most of it involving her former marriage to the head of state of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Michael Misick. The couple divorced in April 2009.
Will Lisa Raye's show be interesting and entertaining? What do you think?




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Book illustrates 'Lil Oprah'

Humble beginnings from the richest woman in entertainment led a New York artist to draw a whole book about her.
London Ladd's latest tome is called "Oprah the Littler Speaker" and describes the multimillionaire media queen's early life in the backwoods of the Crooked Letter.
While he didn't have pictures of Oprah as a child, Ladd said he used his 5-year-old godchild as a model.
While Oprah has some competition as America's top TV maven, Ladd already threw somebody more famous.
Ladd, who's also drawn Martin Luther King Jr., said Oprah was this generation's miracle worker.
"She's like Midas," he told the Syracuse.com. But I can relate to her story. It's about simple, humble beginnings."
No, Mr. Ladd, you're like Midas.

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Fear of a Black Nipple

It's been six years since Janet Jackson's famous breast-flash made America blush during halftime of the Super Bowl (and the term "wardrobe malfunction entered the national lexicon), and the red tape and litigation is still ongoing.
Back then Janet was hot as fire on the charts; so was her conspirator Justin Timberlake. People like Sean Paul were big back then, and Christina Aguilera was what Lady Gaga is now.
So what happened after the performance?
CBS was fined $550,000 by the FCC but balked at paying that much, which lead to the Supreme Court taking up the case.
Now, in 2010 -- when nobody cares -- the issue will finally see its day in court.
Never has a nip slp caused this much controversy.
The snafu just about ruined Janet's career, some say. It also led to a rift between her and Timberlake over his lack of support.
It became a public and nearly a landmark free speech and censorship issue.
It even led to a several-second tape delay for Super Bowls.
Boy, that was one powerful nipple.
Or was it just the traditional fright-laden response to everything we do?
You decide.


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Beyonce Kicks Off House of Dereon Ad Push

With a killer album done, a monster tour finished, and a gaga video all wrapped up, Beyonce is turning her attention to her mother's first love: The House of Dereon.
If a big ad campaign is any indication, the Creole-flavored fashion house is coming out this summer with a vengeance, and Mathew and Tina's eldest daughter will be the face of it all.
Look for sister Solange to lend an assist, but it will be just cursory compared to the glam that Bey and Mrs. Tina have in store.
This is not the first time that Bey has pushed TeamFamily. But Mama Tina Knowles, who filed for divorce last year, has had time to put alot of thought into the House of Dereon's spring and summer offerings.
Don't expect to see anything you've seen before, if Beyonce's recent fashions are any clue.
But then again, she has been hanging out with the fashion equivalent of an electric chair lately.



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Beyonce, Lady Gaga's 'Telephone' rings loud

The sizzling hot phenomenom which is for henceforth called BeGaga has altered space and time as we know it with their 9-minute epic video for "Telephone".
Beyonce, at her Sasha'ing best, brings the muscle; Lady Gaga the wired brains as two of music's biggest females debuted their hit song to enormous results on the Web. Some music TV channels have banned the video due to suggestive and downright odd sensual scenes.
But not Youtube. The clip is on pace to become the most-watched video on the Internet. Ever.
Talk about girl power.
Watch.



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In Atlanta, Freaknik Will Never Truly Die

You can take Freaknik out of the A, but you can't spell Freaknik without the A, as in Atlanta.
While the notorious car-and-girl fest has been dead for more than a decade, the spirit of Freaknik continues to live on in various places around Atlanta (see "strip club" in the dictionary), usually in song and pictures. But this year is different because dueling Freaknik events have sprouted up in the city, not to mention the animated special that Adult Swim aired last week, "Freaknik - The Musical," starring T-Pain and a host of other rappers.
So, why is Freaknik getting all this love all of a sudden? And what exactly was Freaknik? Physically it was a car show with babes in them. Psychologically, it was a small-city country-boy takeover of a Black Metropolis. Well, maybe it's pent-up demand. Sometimes you just miss that freak. See, Atlanta, since the mayor that got the party started was sent to jail and back, has straightened its tie, so to speak, and given its soul to business interests. In doing so, there's been a groundswell of support for things to go back the way they were, for the good times of yesteryear to re-emerge.
Freaknik, call it want you want, symbolized Atlanta at its good-timey peak: The city was fresh from a tryst with the Olympics, millionaires and black people were moving in in droves, and most importantly, the City Too Busy to Hate had jobs. Tons of them.
But things have changed.
The city is no longer as hospitable to visitors as it once was. Unemployment is above the national average.
Jobs are scarce, good times are rare, and well, people miss that Freak.


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Transformers: More than meets the eye

And no, we're not saying that Aunt Viv is a transformer. But some have (not us though). No way.

We've all seen them: Men who dress like women. Not the Madeas of the world, either. We're talking about shapely, breasts-and-everything man. Trannies, or as they're known on the street: Decepticons.
The only thing about these transformers is that, while they are "more than meets the eye," it is getting increasingly hard to tell who's who and what's what these days.
A cursory glance in a nightclub can result in a totally Berserko night these days, and that's even without the assist that alcohol gives to the event. I mean, even Galvatron himself would have a hard time telling who's a woman and who's a wo-man, ya know?
Put simply, we just don't know what team anybody's on anymore. And that's scary. So, I think people should clearly and abruptly "declare" themselves before engaging in intimate conversations. It would spare alot of heartache, pain, and let's face it, money.


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Has Mel B's Workout Overdone It?

Former Spice Girl Mel B did in quick fashion want countless women dreamed of doing: She shed "baby weight" pounds off her body like a stick of margarine in the sunshine. Thanks to a sick workout plan and a dogged determination to show up Eddie Murphy (the baby's father), Mel B produced stunning results in weeks: Rock-hard abs, toned thighs, etc.
But lost in the excess poundage was another item, to many people, that endeared them to Mel B: She lost her booty.
Yes, Mel B, in trying to look sleek as a statue, shed the little bit of rump she had.
Now, some people see nothing wrong with that, but there are some of us, ahem, some of us, yes, that think the ends don't justify the means.
I mean, what's wrong with a little chubbiness if you're proportioned in the right way?
Losing weight is one thing; losing a figure is something else. Sure, Mel B looks like she can win a weight-lifting competition, but you know what? A lot of men don't want you to look like you could win a weight-lifting competition. They want you to look normal, regular. But, call me old-fashioned.
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Fail: Woman ruins marriage for game show

This very intelligent, caring, loving person probably ruined her marriage on a game show by telling the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I don't know about you, but somebody should have stepped in and stopped the poor girl. Who tells national TV that you were in love with an ex on your wedding day? Could you tell all this?




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GooGoo over Baby GaGa?

Eight-year-old Lauren Fontana has got quite the Poker Face. She's got Brazilian TV in a tizzy over her over-the-top antics in a grown-up way. What do you think? Should little kids be paraded in front of hundreds of screaming adults, much less national television, and be seen as entertainment?





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Vejazzled: Bling that Thing 'Down There'

From the category of "Trends from Hell" comes this doosy: Teen girls and young women, of course, are "vejazzling" their private areas. Yes, that's right. It's when you put decorative crystals around your nether regions in an effort to "bling" that thing. Okay, I made that last part up, but who sees it? And how long does it last? About five days, depending on "usage," and we don't. Wanna. Know. Much. More. While the practice is still new, the blogosphere is atwinkle (ahem) with the news. And you thought all the cool trends started with rock stars?
To Rihanna, and Cassie: Take that, take that.


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Old 'Barbie' gives Botox to Teen Daughter

Saying nothing is too good for her daughter, a British woman known as 'Botox Barbie' or 'Human Barbie' is now started injecting her daughter with the anti-wrinkle toxin.
Hannah Burge, is a trained aesthetic practitioner, and also holds the distinction of having the world record for the most cosmetic procedures. Now, her daughter wants in on the action.
Just 16 years old, the teen said: 'I wanted to have Botox for two reasons - it prevents wrinkles and everyone at my school was talking about having "B", according to the Daily Mail.
Well, I think the parent and child deserve an "F". Sorry.
Burge said she basically had no choice in the matter. "Considering I have had so much surgery, I'd be a hypocrite to tell me daughter she couldn't have Botox."
Two words: What the ...?
Would you give your teenage daughter Botox?



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Monique: Oscar Win = Epic Win

The timeless debate whether an immovable object can stop an unstoppable force has been answered in the form of the meteoric rise of actress/comedianne Mo'nique and her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
As a sign of how much faith the movers/shakers are putting in her Oscar win, many of them were already lining up to throw rose pedals on her.

So what to the fact that there were reports that Mo'nique was already living up to the snootiness of an Oscar winner, treating Barbara Walters "slightly better than she treated Precious [in the movie]." POW!
Despite the snide comments and looks by some Hollywood comrades (what's up Sam!), I don't think success has gone to her head at all. She's a discriminating woman who demands respect. What's not to like? Besides, she's refused to write an Oscar speech, saying that it would signal haughtiness.
Understand, this is a long way from being a phone sex operator (she was) and humble roots in Maryland (where she's from). And -- make no mistake -- she has made. She's made it.
Although after the awards she most famously downplayed a potential career as an A-list actor ("I'm a comedian who won an Oscar,") Mo'nique has won. She's won over the hearts of America, the minds of Hollywood's suits, and more importantly, she's successfully made the transition to leading lady (maybe).
All she has to do now is choose her roles (of which they'll be plenty) wisely.

Watch Samuel Jackson's eyeroll at the mention of Monique at the Oscars:





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'Our Family Wedding' promises laughs, fun

It's been a while since we've had a positive portrayal of Black Americana devoid of Tyler Perry's gospel-tinged flair (before you beat me over the head, there's.nothing... wrong. With. That) but "Our Family Wedding," starring Forest Whitaker and Lance Gross promises to be a good-hearted blast.
The film is Hollywood's first serious attempt to blend and attract the Latin-American and African-American demographic audiences under one roof. Will it be successful?
Well, that's largely up to you.
The flick, about a normal-yet-crazy family (like yours) that is coping with the stresses of an upcoming wedding, follows in the line of other African-American marriage flicks such as "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wood," and "The Best Man."
Our girl Regina King does her thing as a responsible mother in this one, and even "Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera gets in on the action.

Take a look:



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Who's the Most Hated Black Man in America?

Just the thought of him makes some people recoil in anger. His smile is one that calls to mind utter distrust and seething hate. He is, quite easily, the MHBMA, Most Hated Black Man in America.
Well, who?
If there was a poll, some would say Barack Hussein Obama (they won't let that 'Hussein' part go). Some would say Tiger Woods. Others would say, Al Sharpton, or how about Van Jones? Michael Steele, or even Chris Brown. But I think the two leading vote-getters would be Tiger and Obama. Why?
Well, let's just say Tiger has unearthed the dormant disgust of a nation sick of celebrity-worship and entitled athletes. Plus, he's recent cheating prowess is, well, unmatched.
Obama on the other hand, is, well, how can we say it -- remember in "New Jack City" when Nino Brown told G-Money to "sit your $5 butt down before I make change?" -- yeah, something about change.
It's deep, too. You know there are still people out there that think Obama is an immigrant? Fox News is contagious, people.



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Keri Hilson acoustic version of "Knock You Down"

Miss Keri "Babay" knocks it down with this acoustic version of "Knock You Down," from Billboard.





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Is TV ready for 'Spartacus'?

British TV viewers are "bloody sick" of all the blood, sweat, and well, sex, that the new TV drama "Spartacus" promises to bring to TV this fall. If the previews are any indication, the show, about the Roman-Greek empire and it's erotically Pagan ways, will push the buttons on common decency in more ways than one. Images of orgies (you know how the Greeks did it) and the bloodlust of battle dictate the show's action scenes.

If recent history is any indication, the nudity and wildness of "Spartacus" will soon make its away to the United States, just like "Big Brother" and "American Idol" has.
Censorship debate aside, should nudity be featured on regular TV, let alone primetime? What do you think?

Watch the trailer below:



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Stores Put Dirty Panties Back on Shelves?

What's that smell, you say? Well, if you've bought your drawers from a department store it's a good chance it's your crotch.
Why? Because evidently major retailers such as Macy's and Victoria Secret put your returned panties back on the shelves. Yep, Victoria's Secret is out, and it stanks!
There's video evidence. A segment reportedly airing on the "Today Show" will uncover stores that put funky britches back on the rack after Ebola-carrying chicks return their panties for who-knows-what reason. If the panties are returned with a foul smell, the store apparently hangs them up overnight to "dry out" and proceeds to rehang them. Nasty? You bet. And people are mad.
And you see why some of us don't wear underwear? Wait ...


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Nona Gaye: Enigma

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Akoo model: People 'overreacting' to sexy ad

The model from the controversial Akoo advertisement that has enraged an otherwise lackadaisical nation says the brouhaha is much about nothing.
Dawn Montgomery, 26, a communications major from Atlanta's Oglethorpe University, says even her 4-year-old son questioned her suggestive positioning in the ad, according to Essence.com.

"I feel it's my parental duty to explain certain images to my child," Montgomery says. "At his age, my son can't necessarily comprehend the concept behind the image, but the first thing he said to me when he saw it is, 'Mommy, you're on that man's leg, and you don't know that man.' That's what came out of his mouth. As a model and a mother I put him first when I make my decisions. After I make my decisions, just like this shoot, I stand by it. When he gets older he may or may not have to defend his mother, but he will be equipped."
Let's be honest, the ad is suggestive but so is 99% of mainstream advertising these days. Akoo said they tried to be lke Calvin Klein, the granddaddy of controversial ad sleaze. What can we expect?
Akoo, for their part, has taken the billboard down, but what about the other suggestive eyesores in our major cities?


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Meagan Good to produce 'Video Girl'

Hollywood actress Meagan Good will take a turn behind the cameras, producing "Video Girl," a film about, well, video girls. The film will star such highly esteemed video stars (I'm using the words loosely here) as Esther Baxter, who's claim to fame is Petey Pablo's "Freak-A-Leek" and Hollywood socialite Claudia Jordan, the black Kardashian. The film sounds like a vanity project, but who knows? Could Meagan bring home an Oscar? Meyer? Weiner?


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Lil Kim's Fans Mad as Hell, Shut Down Site

It seems that Lil Kim's fans are fed up and are not going to take it anymore. Wanna rumble with the Queen Bees fans? Apparently, Kim's personal assistant and handler, Bryant McKinnie, does. McKinnie, an NFL player and socialite in his own right, and Kim's "new team" as her fans at LilKimZone.net call them, have destroyed Kim's career and appearance, they say. The fans, many of whom, claim to have been down with Kim for 15 years, say that the defensive stance taken by Kim's handlers over questions about how she looks and alleged drug use, played out in an irate Twitter conversation, was the last straw. They're taking the site down.
Some people feel that the meteoric rise of rapper Nicki Minaj, who started off on some Kim stuff, may have played a role in fans' disappointment with the former Bad Boy emcee.
No word on how lil Kim herself feels about the drama, but we all know Kim has been going under the knife more than a Thanksgiving turkey, but that's beside the point, right? I mean, Michael Jackson did ungodly things to his face, but if you put "Thriller" on you'll see people dropping whatever they're doing and start moonwalking. It's about the music, people. Well, isn't it?


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Will 'Precious' rep for the big girls?

The Notorious B.I.G. summed up his public persona as well as anyone when he rapped the immortal words, "Heartthrob? Never. Black and ugly as ever. However ...". He didn't back down on stereotypical perceptions of skin tone or even obesity. He wanted you to know that he was what he looked like. And more.
So it is with the star of "Precious" Gabby Sidibe, a plus-sized actress who portrays an HIV-positive young mother with a demonic parent.
The catch with "Precious" is that you would think that Sidibe identified with the title character just a little bit. The only thing is, she doesn't.
In a recent interview she said, that all it took was "one conversation. One sentence from me to know that I'm not that girl."
Biggie Smalls, who terrorized rap when he was alive, traded on the fact that he was a big guy, and dark-skinned and the antitypical ladies man. He had women in spite of that fact.
He rapped for you, but he repped for the big, black guys. Like him.
Will Sidibe try to separate herself from the millions of "Preciouses" out there that perhaps look up to her in some way now? She has a right too, but will she? It's entirely her call.
She is a very talented and happy woman who is obviously comfortable and confident in her skin.
And that, in a very important way, is precious.


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Efff Who Pumps, anyone?

Despite the vulgar term, which we will happily pronounce as "Eff U pumps" fierce stiletto heels, I'm told, hurt something awful.
I used to work in ladies shoes (at a department store that will remain anonymous for now) and I can tell you that women, despite cruxificion-like pain, will do what they need to do to make it happen.
The term "Eff U pumps" has been around for a few years, but most people heard about it when British singer Amy Winehouse put it in a song.

It is, according to Wikipedia, "a slang expression for sexy women's shoes, particularly those featuring bare heels."
The thing is, some women can barely walk in said shoes. Truthfully, men don't need to see a type of shoe to know when it's "that" time. In fact, barefoot may do more for the libido.
But you do what you have to do, don't cha?



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