MTV News recently caught up with The Harajuki Barbie Nicki Minaj– who is hard at work recording a Wizard of Oz-themed promo for September’s MTV Video Music Awards. Minaj chatted about the concept of her new video — “Your Love” — and explains why she decided to have her character murdered at the end.
Just on a random note: Where did the British accent come from?! Girl sounds like a Brokedown Princess Diana….
Oh snap! Is the daughter of CSI star Laurence Fishburne cozying up to a professional fucker?
Gurl puhleeze! You don’t know where those lips have been!
Word on The Curb has it that The Matrix actor’s 18-year-old daughter, Montana, is the new main squeeze of well-endowed and bulked-up adult film star Brian Pumper. According to celebrity snitches over at CarltonJordan.com, Brian — a Lloyd Banks doppleganger — and the recent high school grad were snapped out on a date at a Subway in Beverly Hills this week.
We don’t know what’s worse. That Montana Fishburne is dating a pornstar or that she allowed him to take her to Subway for a date!
The fur is flying over Janet Jackson’s new controversial ad campaign for a fur label.
Shortly after the singer signed on to be the new face of Blackglama’s “What Becomes a Legend Most” campaign, animal rights activists — particularly those with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — blasted her decision to hawk the fur label.
Now longtime animal-lover Pamela Anderson has spoken out about her displeasure in Jackson’s campaign.
“It’s disappointing. She has spoken out against fur before. I don’t know why some people stop listening to their heart. I guess some people get greedy, but it’s sad,” the PETA loyalist and former Baywatch babe told OUT Magazine this week.
In response, Blackglama’s CEO, Joe Morelli, released this statement:
“For decades, Blackglama has represented the finest, most exclusive mink in the world. Much like Blackglama, Janet Jackson has occupied a similar position in her respective industry. Janet is an icon in the world of music and entertainment, a true legend. She represents everything this storied campaign embodies. Janet is to entertainment what Blackglama is to luxury.”
Essence Magazine –a staple of elegance for Black women since the 1970s — has sparked outrage in the world of African-American publishing and among readers of the lifestyle monthly after selecting a White woman to head up the mag’s Fashion/Style Department.
This September, Ellianna Placas will step into her new role as Essence’s new Fashion Director. The girl certainly knows her stuff: Placas has a lengthy history in style and impressive resume that includes working for O: The Oprah Magazine, Us Weekly, and contributing/styling for many television shows. All that means little to many readers and supporters of the publication, who would prefer to see a woman of color (You know, the magazine’s target audience…) appointed to such a prestigious position.
Writer Michaela Angela Davis has been particularly vocal about her disappointment with the mag’s new hire:
“It is with a heavy heavy heart I have learned that Essence magazine has engaged a white fashion director, this hurts, literally, spiritually. If there were balance in the industry; if we didn’t have a history of being ignored and disrespected; if more mainstream fashion media included people of color before the ONE magazine dedicated to black women ‘diversified’, it would feel different.”
Fashion personality Najwa Moses echoed Michaela’s disappointment, telling Clutch Magazine: “How could such a prestigious title who is deeply rooted in its target audience let someone who is not even apart of the African Diaspora detonate our image? How can a White woman dictate and decide what style and beauty is for the Black woman?”
Essence Editor-in-Chief Angela Burt-Murray, who hired Placas, has responded to the stir with a statement issued Wednesday:
“We were conducting a search for a new director when she was hired to run the department on a freelance basis. I got to see firsthand her creativity, her vision, the positive reader response to her work, and her enthusiasm and respect for the audience and our brand. As such, I thought she’d make an excellent addition to our team. And I still do. This decision in no way diminishes my commitment to black women, our issues, our fights. I am listening and I do take the concerns to heart,” she writes.
“But interestingly enough, the things I think should most upset people and inspire boycotts and Facebook protests, often seem to go relatively unnoticed…When we run story after story on how HIV is the leading cause of death for black women age 18-34? Zilch. The things that really are the end of our world apparently aren’t,” Burt-Murray says.
“While the response to these important stories may not always be as strong as we would like or lead to immediate change, Essence remains committed to telling these stories. Forty years ago Essence was founded to empower, celebrate, and inspire black women to climb higher, go further and break down barriers. Our commitment to black women remains unchanged….”
Essence sparked a similar controversy about race last winter. A sector of readers were incensed when editors selected NFL ace Reggie Bush as cover model of the mag’s “Black Love” issue, particularly since the New Orleans Saints star has been in a series of high-profile romances with non-Black women.
Diddy and the Bad Boy Family — which includes Rick Ross, Janelle Monae, Dawn Richard, Kaleena, Red Cafe, and Cassie –grace the cover of the Aug./Sept. issue of VIBE Magazine. In the cover story titled “Table For One” — penned by Editor-in-Chief Jermaine Hall — hip-hop’s most affluent playboy shares his thoughts on regrettable interviews, Lil Kim vs. Nicki Minaj, regaining respect in the industry, and more….
What happened during the Martin Bashir interview on Nightline?
“There were times in the interview when I had to give him an ultimatum. The questions weren’t being handled the right way. In hindsight, when I saw him I shouldn’t had done the interview because I know the style of interview that he does . . . The whole thing about giving a Maybach to my son, that’s really like a racist question. You don’t ask White people what they buy their kids. And they buy ‘em Porsches and convertible Bentleys and it ain’t no question. It’s really a racist question and put things back in perspective with money and the way that people still look at you. And I’m not saying that consciously he’s a racist. But he probably don’t even realize that he would not ask Steve Jobs that. He would be like Steve Jobs has that money and that’s the gift his kid is supposed to get.”
You Can CLICK HERE To Read More Excerpts From The Interview. The full issue hits stands Aug. 16.
In case you missed it, G-Unit boss 50 Cent visited the ladies of The View Wednesday, where he chatted about his frightening 60 pound weight-loss for the forthcoming drama Things Fall Apart.
This season, The Real Housewives of Atlanta will be getting dirty Down South without the help of socialite/mom Lisa Wu-Hartwell.
The former wife of R&B crooner Keith Sweat is leavng Bravo’s smash docu-soap after two seasons following the ever-popularly cited “creative differences” with show producers.
According to a scoop from Black Voices’ BV Buzz Column, Wu-Hartwell and the network have parted ways amicably after falling out over a sinister plan to “dramatize” Lisa’s life for the show’s forthcoming third season.
We hear the network wanted to add some scripted elements to Lisa’s life in an effort to attract more viewers. Lisa, 38, decided to gracefully bow out of the show rather than manufacture falsehoods to keep the checks rolling in.
A similar fate befell “boring” former ATL Housewife DeShawn Snow, who was booted and replaced with ’90s singing star Kandi Burruss during the show’s first season.
“They basically wanted to script elements of Lisa’s life and make her amp up the drama. She wasn’t with that at all. Lisa felt like if her real life alone wasn’t enough for the network, then maybe it was time for her to go,” squeals a spy.
Lisa will appear in only three episodes of the new season of RHOA. In addition, she will not appear in any of the promos for the new season — including the opening scene where the cast members are photographed holding the signature peach representing their home state of Georgia.
The new season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta has already snagged a couple of new faces — noted attorney Phaedra Parks and model Cynthia Bailey.
The new season of RHOA is scheduled to premiere in October 2010.
Kanye West joined the Twitterverse on Wednesday.
And the Online World just about stopped spinning.
In just two hours, the Grammy-winning hip-hopster has already collected 34,000+ followers and the number grows steadily with each passing moment.
The man now known to the micro-blogging masses as @KanyeWest come baring a big announcement: “The album is no longer called “Good Ass Job” I’m bouncing a couple of titles around now…”
Chris, You In Danger, Boo: Perhaps funnyguy Chris Tucker should quiz tax cheats like Richard Hatch, Nicolas Cage, and Wesley Snipes about what happens when you try to screw Uncle Sam out of his rightful due.
The Rush Hour star owes more than $11 million in back taxes to the State of California and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to reports this week.
A pretty hefty sum for a guy who doesn’t work much.
In addition to a $3,594,409 lien against for failure to pony up in state taxes, Tucker also owes the IRS $11,571,909.26 in federal taxes for the years 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 and 2006!
Newsflash: Child stardom is not kind to the kids of Hollywood in their later years: The dude that played Calvin on the hit ’80s sitcom 227 has crawled out from beneath somebody’s rock…with a blunt in hand….
Ever wonder whatever happened to the clean-cut kid who played studious teen Calvin alongside Regina King, Jackee, and Marla Gibbs on the hit NBC sitcom 227 between 1985-1992?
Yeah…we didn’t either.
Nonetheless, Curtis Baldwin has resurfaced. Driving a wrapped promotional van and smoking a blunt with early ’90s crooner Christopher Williams riding shotgun.
Lordy….
These days, Curtis is fronting his own record label, Gain Green Entertainment.
