Whitney helped make Jordin’s film debut ‘Sparkle’

For her film debut Jordin Sparks, the youngest-ever “American Idol” winner, found a soul mate in the title character of “Sparkle.”

Like Sparks, Sparkle, a Detroit teenager in 1968, is an aspiring songwriter and singer.

Unlike Sparks, Sparkle is hampered by a controlling mother (Whitney Houston in her final film role) who is convinced she’ll lose her soul in the music business.

“Sparkle loves music and wants it so badly and it was her dream, and I definitely related to that. The difference between Sparkle and me was she was indecisive before stardom happened,” Sparks, 22, said.

“Mine came after everything, because it was too overwhelming. Music was what I wanted before ‘Idol.’ I’d made the decision early. Once I got involved — and it’s five years ago now since ‘Idol’ — there were times where I felt, ‘I didn’t sign up for all this.’

“So I’ve gotten to appreciate it.”

Houston was a producer as well as the “Sparkle” star.

“I met Whitney a couple of years ago when I went to my first Grammy festivities. She was surrounded by all these people, and I thought, ‘I have to say hi.’

“My manager at the time got me over to her and she went ‘Hi, it’s nice to meet you,’ and I completely froze.”

Sparks laughed, “I never got to ask if she remembered that.”

On “Sparkle,” Sparks remembers how “all of us had crazy schedules. Whitney, instead of going back to her trailer, she’d chill with us and was so down to earth.

“It goes to show, she would say, ‘You’re just one of the girls at the end of the day.’

“What I remember the most was the scene where I’m wearing this red dress. It was the end of filming, I was so exhausted and something had me start crying.

“I had to take a couple of minutes during filming and she was there, saying ‘Just breathe’ and ‘I know it’s crazy.’ She was there hugging me to feel better. I’ll never forget her.”

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Young & Restless' Greg Rikaart: "Chick-fil-A: What It's Really About!"

 

The media blitz surrounding Chick-fil-A isn't about chicken sandwiches or Dan Cathy's First Amendment right. Mr. Cathy's company has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which publicly denounces the "impure lifestyle" of the LGBT community.

This company donated money to the Family Research Council, which supports the criminalization of homosexuality and states on their website that they oppose efforts for homosexuals to have equal rights. Can you even imagine -- your neighbor, your friend, your sibling or your child being criminalized for being who they are?

I posted a tweet airing my disappointment in Melissa Reeves (Jennifer on Days of our Lives) for aligning herself with this company that financially supports the furthering of hatred and bigotry.

I did so because I have aligned myself with organizations like GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network) and the HRC (Human Rights Campaign) and I have read too many stories of alienated LGBT kids taking their lives after relentless persecution.

Whether grown up bullies like Dan Cathy and Melissa Reeves realize it or not, they are directly or indirectly telling these vulnerable kids that there is something wrong with them, or they are somehow less than. Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm certain of it.

I'd happily talk to Mrs. Reeves about this myself, but alas, she has not responded to me and has blocked me from having access to her twitter account.

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Missy Elliott Says She Has "No Clue" About A New Aaliyah Album

And the plot thickens!

The past few weeks in music have been fueled by rumors of an Aaliyah posthumous album being executive produced by Drake and his best friend/producer Noah "40" Shebib.

Over the past week, the following information has been confirmed by Barry Hankerson and his son Jomo Hankerson of Blackground Records:

1. There is an a posthumous Aaliyah album being made.
2. Noah "40" Shebib is heavily involved in Aaliyah's posthumous album and will serve as a co-producer.
3. Drake is also a co-producer of Aaliyah's new album.
4. Drake will have more than one record on Aaliyah's new project.
5. Aaliyah's brother allegedly posted on her Facebook that there isn't an Aaliyah posthumous album (which seems to be an old statement)
6. Aaliyah's new album will include about 16 tracks of unreleased tracks.
7. Missy Elliott and Timbaland will be involved on Aaliyah's new project.

The story behind Aaliyah's posthumous album has been a confusing one, and has actually gotten more mind-boggling.

Aaliyah's cousin and son of Barry Hankerson, Jomo Hankerson, confirmed in an exclusive interview with Billboard Biz that long time friends of Aaliyah, Timbaland and Missy Elliott, are on board with the new album, but according to Missy Elliott she has "no clue" about a new Aaliyah album.

Today, a fan tweeted Missy Elliott congratulating her on being involved on Aaliyah's new album, but then Missy hit everyone with a doozy- no one told her about an Aaliyah album.

WHAT?!

GlobalGrind has no idea what is going on, but rumor has it, that Blackground Records is falling off in the deep end and is using this Aaliyah project to get them back on the map.

Singer JoJo has been very vocal about her issues with her label, but it seems like she's in for the long run with Blackground.

GlobalGrind wouldn't have guessed that Aaliyah's posthumous album would be surrounded by so much drama, but we hope Aaliyah's uncle, Drake, 40, and anyone else who comes on board for the album does Aaliyah justice and maintains her honor.

Are you surprised that Missy Elliott doesn't know anything about a new Aaliyah album?

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Evander Holyfield Finalizes His Divorce

Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield is finally getting a divorce from his wife, Candi Holyfield. The divorce has been finalized, and comes in the middle of very serious financial problems for the fighter.  Evander has declared bankruptcy this year, had his mansion foreclosed upon and even sold his Olympic medal.

Candi filed for divorce in 2010 after putting out a restraining order on her husband.  She claimed that he hit her in the head, neck and back during a domestic dispute.
According to Candi, the alleged abuse was part of an on-going theme inside the marriage.
“In 2008 he choked me in front of our daughter and house keeper. In 2009 he has hit me in front of the children. He has grabbed me in front of the children. A couple of weeks ago he threw a bottle of water at me,” she said.
Maybe now, Evander can get the rest of his life together and try to get out of financial trouble.  If George Foreman can make a comeback, so can he.

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Nene Leakes Considering Returning to Gregg Leakes

No one can forget how out in the open Nene and Gregg Leakes’ break up was on the reality show “Real Housewives of Atlanta”.  After the public watched the train wreck of a marriage go through its bumps and spirals, it finally crashed in divorce. Now, the divorced pair are reportedly going to give their marriage another try.
A few weeks ago, Nene tweeted that she was going on a date with a man she loved and it sounded suspiciously like the man she was talking about was her ex-husband Gregg.
An unnamed source close to the couple reportedly told Wetpaint that Gregg will be making regular appearances on the fifth season of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” and it is possible that the couple will get back together.
Says the source,

 “Gregg has been taping regularly for season five. He’s not missing in action at all. He’s definitely part of the new season…I think this season will be make or break for them. They’re going to see if they’re better off apart or together. That will be a big part of NeNe’s story line on the show — whether or not she and Gregg get back together.”

Relationship guru, Tiy-E Muhammed, who also appeared on the reality show had a chat with S2S magazine and shared that she observed that Nene and Gregg’s marriage was very negatively affected by the show causing them to do things that they never thought they would do, overstepping each other’s boundaries.
One of Nene’s friends, Cynthia Bailey aslo had a chat with the magazine and said that she believed that the couple were still very connected. Said Bailey,

“I think NeNe and Gregg definitely have a comfort zone with each other. Anytime NeNe really wants to talk to someone that she really considers a true friend, she’s going to call Gregg, every single time.”

In the end, even if the couple end up staying in their separate corners, at least they can say they tried, not just once but also a second time for good measure.

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Jordin Sparks Talks Weightloss, Doesn’t Want to be Stick-thin

Jordin Sparks recently lost 50lbs following years of weight gain after she won American Idol in 2007.

The talented singer is the first to admit that her weight-loss journey has not been an easy one. The 22 year old spoke to Redbook magazine  as the cover-girl for their September issue, saying there are no short cuts to losing weight.

Said Sparks,

“My whole journey has been about self-acceptance. ‘There’s no quick or magical way to lose weight. You just have to do it the natural way— diet and exercise and stick to it— and be able to do it at your own pace. Everyone has their own thing.”

In her conversation with Redbook , the American Idol star talked about what it was like to work with Whitney Houston, who passed away earlier this year. She worked with the late songstress in the upcoming and highly anticipated  film ‘Sparkle,’ which will be in theaters next weekend.

Sparks shared that Houston was like a mother to her, saying.

“For me, she took on the mother role because my parents weren’t there [during filming] She was always asking: Did I feel comfortable? Did I need anything?”

Sparkle is a remake of the movie with the same title about a girl group’s experiences with drugs, fame and success.

Sparks certainly did not take her role in the film or working with the late Whitney Houston for granted saying,

“I get so overwhelmed because its my first film, and for my first film to be so deep and heavy… I got to work with one of my idols and sing with her, and she even played my mother…I don’t know if anything will ever be as good as this. Sometimes I ask myself, Why did I deserve to have a part in a film like this? ‘I don’t want this to come off crazy, but somebody said to me, ‘It’s like Whitney essentially passed the torch.’ And to hear that, it’s just nuts.”

Shape magazine recently featured the new and slimmer songstress on their cover looking great in a bikini.

Jordin who has has previously modelled plus-size clothing is loving her weight-loss but is quick to say,

“The stick-thin thing, I’m kind of just like, “Not gonna do it” and “I couldn’t.”‘

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Kanye West and Girlfriend Kim Kardashian Say No to Reality TV Deal

Rapper, Kanye West and his reality television star girlfriend, Kim Kardashian have reportedly said no to a reality TV deal. The couple claim that they are too busy to do a reality show, says a report by The Examiner.

Kris Jenner, Kim’s mother and manager, affirmed that her daughter and her beau are too busy at this time. She did not shut down the possibility of televising the couple’s wedding, insisting though, that it was all up to Kim to decide.

Kim is still technically still married to Kris Humphries although they are in the process of dissolving the marriage. Talking about televising Kanye and Kims’s wedding, Jenner said:

“Anything that makes Kim happy, I’m thrilled…You know what, I don’t even have an answer for that. That’s so crazy, I really don’t know. I think that as long as the kids are happy, I’m happy. Whatever floats their boat.”

Jenner did not miss the opportunity to share her delight about her new grand-baby, her granddaughter Penelope, saying,

“I’m so content right now. Kourtney’s such a great mom and we have such an amazing family. Penelope is such an amazing addition, so I’m thrilled.”

The power couple may not be partnering up for a reality show but reports say that the pair are working on a partnership in the shoe business. It is reported that Kanye and Kim have been meeting with business men like billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault who is married to actress Salma Hayek and owns Louis Vuitton.

An anonymous source reported that the meeting with the billionaire was positive but nothing has been solidified, saying: “Kim and Kanye had lunch with Francois the other day at the yacht club because they’re trying to negotiate a shoe deal with him.”

Louis Vuitton is owned by the “Francois’ company which Kim and Kanye both love. Although nothing has been confirmed, the couple is reportedly very excited about the prospect of a new footwear line.

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Tatyana Ali Clowns Shaunie O’neal and Basketball Wives

 

Tatyana Ali is throwing all the shade at reality show producers Mona Scott-Young and Shaunie O’Neal. Scott-Young is the force behind VH1′s “Love & Hip-Hop” and O’Neal is behind “Basketball Wives.”  Obviously, Tatyana is taking a major swipe at Shaunie O’neal, the ex-wife of Shaquille O’neal and producer of the TV show, “Basketball Wives.”

Ali stars in a spoof of the reality wives genre called “It’s My Show.” The episode, entitled, “The Producer” casts Ali as a reality show producer named Mona O’Neil. In it, she’s on set giving directions to the show’s cast members. She even takes a seat for a tight shot where she she talks directly to the camera– a common shot in both the shows.

“I am Mona O’Neil, world renowned reality show producer,” she says. “It is my job to bring the excitement out of Bresha and Jameel– the hood if you will. Some people say ‘stereotypes.’ I say, ‘good television’. When I’m done with them, they’ll have more cultural relevance than the Cosbys’.”

And of course, she manages to get her Louis Vuitton bag in the shot.

She also delivers more cringe-worthy lines such as, “I need this to be more ethnic. The network won’t buy this.” and “This is so ratchet, so hood. The hood is good.”

The show makes an obvious play on the extreme criticism received by shows like “Basketball Wives.” The show is considered an abomination for the way it distorts the images of black women on television.  Much of the imagery relies on women who spend most of their time fighting, bullying and doing all the other things we tell our kids not to do.  There have been numerous petitions to take the show off the air.

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Tyra Banks Taps Tyler Perry for America’s Next Top Model

 

 “America’s Next Top Model” will soon be back on The CW Network as the hit reality modeling competition gears up for its 19th cycle. The new season premieres August 24. The show has been hot for years, but Tyra Banks is always working to keep it hot and regain the traction it had when it first began.

Long-time fans are probably wondering what Banks has in store for this season considering she just got rid of many of the show’s long time co-hosts, judges and photographers. The moves were a bit of a shock, since the ratings hadn’t declined nearly enough to lead to such a dramatic shift.

Cycle 19 is college-edition themed and will feature guests such as the Grammy award-winning Alicia Keys and the box-office wonder, Tyler Perry. We’re not sure what Perry has to do with modeling, but hey, he’s a celebrity.
“Tyler Perry comes on and gives the contestants an acting challenge,” Banks said in an interview with TV Guide. “The winner of that acting challenge is actually going to be in a Tyler Perry movie.”

ANTM will also welcome a new celebrity photographer.

“Shenae Grimes from 90210 is the photographer on one of the photo shoots and actually took some really beautiful pictures,” Banks said.

Nigel Barker, the show’s former photographer, was axed along with long-time judges and co-hosts, Miss J. Alexander, and Jay Manuel, as the show tried to go in a different direction.

The new format is also expected to include a social media correspondent and a new way to deliver Tyra Mail. It looks like the show is doing everything it can to stay relevant. Good for you Tyra.

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Nivea Fires Rihanna Saying She is Too Wild

 

Rihanna has reportedly been dropped as a spokesperson for the skin and body care  company, Nivea, because they think that she is too wild to represent their brandccording to WENN, Rihanna and Nivea partnered for her “Loud” world tour, last year, with Nivea being a co-sponsor and Rihanna appearing in a Nivea commercial. Stefan Heidenreich, the new head of Nivea’s parent firm, Beiersdorf, does not approve of the wild and free songbird’s image and thinks that she needs to tone it down.

Heidenreich reportedly did not approve of the advert starring Rihanna saying,

“The advert starring Rihanna was a no go. I do not understand how Nivea can be brought into association with Rihanna. Nivea is a company which stands for trust, family and reliability.”

Last year, Rihanna was the face of Nivea’s 100 Years Skincare for Life campaign and the skin care company released an image of the then red haired pop star posing nude, from the waist up.

Markus Pinger who was the brand’s representative at the time said,

“We are excited to have Rihanna supporting us in our celebration and building a new generation of fans. Over the past 100 years, Nivea has been an iconic skin-care brand across the world. Rihanna is a music icon and her digital footprint will help us bring our anniversary celebration to consumers wherever they are.”

Nivea also used Rihann’s song “California King Bed” in their international anniversary campaign and even gave their customers a chance to win concert tickets for one of Rihanna’s live shows. Nivea even threw the pop star a big party in Beverly Hills.

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