Kerry Washington Flashes Wedding Ring After Surprise Marriage to Nnamdi Asomugha

Kerry Washington was all smiles on the red carpet Sunday evening at the Television Choice Awards ABC/Disney summer press tour party in Beverly Hills.

Washington was her usual gorgeous self in a blood orange and white Giambattista Valli dress and Christian Louboutin pumps. The highlight of her appearance, however, was the sparkling diamond wedding band on her ring finger.

The “Scandal” actress shocked everyone with a surprise wedding to San Francisco 49ers cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha earlier this summer. This is Washington’s first public appearance as a newlywed, but in her return to Twitter two weeks ago she only offered thank-you’s to her fans who hoped for something more.

“So… I just wanna say: its great being back & I LOVE reading all your tweets but…FYI I still dont talk about my personal life on here. I seriously ❤ you guyz!”

Catching a glimpse into Washington’s personal life is a tough task, but fans won’t have to wait very long to see Olivia Pope at work. Washington tweeted over the weekend that she’s hard at work filming for the upcoming third season of “Scandal” airing in October.

“It’s gonna be a LAAAAAATE night of shooting here at @ScandalABC – cranking it out for all you #gladiators with MUCH MUCH LOVE.”

See Washington’s beautiful ring below:

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Caption This: Rihanna Licks Gun-Shaped Gold Grill

Credit: Instagram

Rihanna‘s Instagram profile isn’t dubbed “badgalriri” for no reason!

The 25-year-old pop star who’s currently back home in Barbados for its annual carnival, shared a photo of her gold gun-shaped grill on her IG:

“Up watching Cocaine Cowboyz #KillinDeseHeauxz #phuckyogrill” she captions before adding lyrics from her song “G4L”

“#ilickthegunwhenimdonecuziknowthatrevengeissweet.”

While the gun grill isn’t permanent, Ri Ri does have a tattoo of an AK-47 assault rifle on the side of her ribcage as a “symbol of strength.”

What do you think of Rihanna’s gun grill?

Credit: Instagram

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50 Cent to Turn in Guns, Pleads Not Guilty in Domestic Violence Case...

50 Cent has pleaded not guilty in the domestic violence case involving model Daphne Joy, who is allegedly the mother of a secret second child that 50 has yet to publicly acknowledge.

Despite the not guilty plea, the judge ordered him to hand over all his guns and to stay away from Joy.

The rule is “innocent until proven guilty,” but with a case like this you can never be too safe. That’s why the judge ordered the New York native to stay far away from Joy and to hand over all his weapons or sell them to licensed gun dealers.

Either way the “P.I.M.P” rapper is sticking by his story and saying he never kicked Joy, nor did he go on a psycho rampage and trash her home.

He showed up in court in a dark-colored suit with his attorney Scott Leemon, and remained silent throughout most of the proceedings.

The court appearance was actually the first time he has been silent about the matter.

When the allegations first arose, he took to Twitter to not only deny that he did anything, but to also bash Daphne Joy for claiming he is the father of her child.

“Look billy jean your not my lover,” he tweeted back in June.

On July 5 his attorney issued a public statement, “Curtis Jackson (50 Cent’s real name) denies these allegations as made against him.”

 

Perhaps the possible consequences of being found guilty of the domestic violence and vandalism charges finally hit 50 when he showed up to the Los Angeles court room on Monday.

As it turns out, the “Get Rich or Die Tryin” star could possibly spend five years in jail and over $46,000 in fines.

As he was leaving the courtroom, he was faced with more legal papers that are believed to involve custody of the child. According to one source, she is afraid that 50 might take the child out of California.

“She’s worried he’s going to take the baby out of California,” the source told The News. “She’s seeking a court order so he can’t do that.”

He reacted to the served legal papers in typical 50 Cent manner. He simply smiled and had his driver push the papers away with the windshield wipers as he hopped into the back of the large silver SUV.

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Raven-Symone Applauds Gay Marriage Ruling, Comes Out as Lesbian

Raven-Symone inadvertently revealed she is a lesbian Friday when she tweeted a response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act and strike down Proposition 8.

It has been rumored for some time that the Disney star was gay, but she refused to confirm reports. In response to a May 2012 tabloid report alleging the actress was a gay, Raven- Symone wrote via Twitter:

“I’m living my PERSONAL life the way I’m happiest. I’m not one, in my 25 year career, to disclose who I’m dating and I shall not start now. My sexual orientation is mine, and the person I’m dating to know. I’m not one for a public display of my life.”

On Friday, over a year after the tabloid report surfaced, Raven-Symone is singing a slightly different tune. The 27-year old actress was willing to let her fans in — just a little.

“I can finally get married! Yay government! So proud of you,” she tweeted on Friday.

The attempt at being elusive didn’t fool the media and fans however, who quickly put two and two together.

Raven-Symone said to TooFab after the revealing tweet: ”I am very happy that gay marriage is opening up around the country and is being accepted. I was excited to hear today that more states legalized gay marriage. I, however am not currently getting married, but it is great to know I can now, should I wish to.”

To confirm just how much she doesn’t care to live her private life publicly, Raven-Symone retweeted this message from a fan: ”She been out, momma just didn’t have time for bulls***”

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Kim Kardashian, Kanye West Planning Huge Secret Parisian Wedding?

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are reportedly planning a huge destination wedding in Paris, despite Kim recently saying she wanted a much smaller wedding the third time around.

It seems like Kim and Kanye are never on the same page and their wedding plans aren’t any exception to the rule.

Kim K has been adamant about having a small wedding this time, after her first two large wedding ceremonies ended in divorce. But once Yeezy makes a decision it seems there is no changing his mind.

Sources are revealing that Kanye wants to have a large and lavish wedding and  he will be taking over much of the designing himself.

“He wants something really cool and big and over-the-top,” one source told Us Weekly. “They’ll most likely have a destination wedding.”

Rumor has it that the destination will be Paris, which comes as no surprise for anyone who has been keeping up with Kimye. Whenever Mr. West wasn’t at Kim’s side (which was most of the time during her pregnancy), he was in Paris working on various fashion endeavors and new music.

So how is Kim reacting to the news that Kanye wanted a bigger wedding? Sources say that she is warming up to the idea again, but there is reason to believe that another large wedding was exactly what the reality star wanted anyway.

 

Many fans of the Kardashian Klan suggested that Kim was asking for a smaller wedding because she figured that was what her paparazzi-hating boyfriend wanted, but as it turns out Mr. West wants to do it big.

“Kanye has never been married before and wants a big wedding,” the source added. “So Kim is getting used to the idea again.”

Even if Kim really didn’t want a large wedding, it isn’t uncommon for her to change her opinion on huge decisions to appease Kanye.

Besides Kanye taking over her closet and tossing out half of her wardrobe when they got together, he also is the mastermind behind their daughter’s unique name that Kim K had mocked when Jay Leno suggested it to her.

Luckily, the wedding won’t be as cheesy as the baby’s name.

“It won’t be cheesy,” the source continued. “There will be a real sense of design.”

Kanye wants to team up with his fashion buddies to put together a chic and high-end wedding and is even rumored to be designing Kim’s ring himself.

One can only hope that the flashy rapper doesn’t get carried away with the project. Kim will have to wear this ring every day for the rest of the life, after all – or just for 72 days.

The wedding plans will also mean that Kim is on a serious time crunch to drop her baby weight and it is believed that the reality star won’t be emerging into the media spotlight until she gets her hourglass figure back.

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Alex Rodriguez Formally Appeals 211-Game Suspension

 

Alex Rodriguez has started the process of fighting his 211-game suspension from baseball.

The Major League Baseball Players Association formally appealed his suspension Wednesday, which will send the case to an independent arbitrator.

A spokesman for the MLB union, Greg Bouris, confirmed the appeal and said the players’ association has no further comment.

The New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he too doesn’t have much to say about the appeal either.

“I don’t think any of us thought it was going to be any different,” Girardi said. “As far as having a reaction, it’s kind of what I expected. It’s part of the process that was negotiated between MLB and the players’ association, and you let it play out. I expect him to play a lot. We need him to help us.”

On Monday, Rodriguez was suspended for 211 games, which could see him off the field through the 2014 season.

The Yankees’ player was involved in an investigation into Biogenesis of America, a debunked Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs to several MLB players.

Since the suspension, Rodriguez has played in two games for the New York Yankees. The appeal process allows him to play until the issue is resolved.

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Dwyane Wade, Boris Kodjoe & Spike Lee Featured on Ebony Covers Honoring Trayvon Martin

Black entertainers continue to rally behind Trayvon Martin’s parents and the movement the young teenager paid with his life to ignite.

Ebony magazine, in an effort to keep the conversation going, called on film director Spike Lee, NBA champion Dwyane Wade, actor Boris Kodjoe and Martin’s mother, father and brother. The entertainers are featured on three separate covers with their sons wearing gray hoodies while Martin’s parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin stand by Martin’s brother, Jahvaris Fulton .

Ebony’s Editor-in-Chief Amy Barnett reflected on the issue:

“As a mother of a young Black boy, the tragedy of Travyon Martin affected me deeply. We simply cannot allow the conversations on this issue to come to a standstill. As the leading source for an authoritative perspective on the African-American community, at EBONY we are committed to serving as a hub for Black America to explore solutions, and to giving readers the information and tools they need to help ensure a bright future for all of our children.”

“Save our Sons” is the resounding theme of the September issue. Musician Jill Scott penned a poem for Martin, Columbia University professor Marc Lamont Hill offered a piece on racial profiling while Lee, Wade and Kodjoe share the advice they will impart on their sons about racism in America.

The special four-cover issue is available on newsstands now. See the covers below:

Spike Lee and Jackson

Dwyane Wade with Zaire and Zion

Boris Kodjoe and Nicolas

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Michael Strahan, Nicole Murphy Rent $20 Million LA Mansion During Hunt for Dream Home

Michael Strahan and his fiancee, Nicole Murphy, have sold their Bel-Air home for a whopping $11 million and are now renting a lavish $20 million mansion in LA for $100,000 a month until they find the perfect dream home.

Whoever Strahan hired to sell his “teardown” home can easily outsell any of the realtors featured on “Million Dollar Listings: Los Angeles.”

While the home itself had some nice bones, the home was reportedly a “teardown” according to Trulia.com.  Strahan had already torn down much of the home in anticipation of rebuilding, but never got around to the huge project.

Of course, most people would never just walk away from such a huge construction project for fear of losing money, but that wasn’t the case for Strahan. Instead of losing any money after tearing down part of the home, it was sold for over $3 million more than he purchased the property for.

He forked over $7.8 million for the lavish home and it was recently sold for $11 million according to the Times.

Selling the home for such a huge profit is allowing Michael and his girlfriend to move into yet another incredible home that they will be renting until they find the perfect place.

The posh mansion in Beverly Park, right next to the famous Beverly Hills, is more than enough space for him and his reality star boo as it holds eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a large guest house, spectacular green space with large fountains and a resort style pool.

With that high of a price tag, you can bet that the home has some pretty cool neighbors as well.

Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Tim McGraw, Samuel Jackson and Sylvester Stallone have their own posh pads in the same community.

The huge mansion is perfect for a man as large as Michael is, but that doesn’t mean he is the fearless giant you might expect him to be.

Despite standing at well over 6-foot tall and being remembered as one of the toughest defensive ends to step foot on the football field, even he is terrified of mice.

 

Nicole Murphy actually joined her soon-to-be husband on his live talk show with Kelly Ripa back in July and revealed that he freaked out when a mouse landed on their bed in their hotel room on her 40th birthday.

He was so afraid of the small visitor that he had to call for the hotel staff to come catch the mouse. The staff laughed off the entire situation by reminding them that taking a vacation to Africa meant they were going to see far more terrifying animals than a mouse.

She also dished on more quirky secrets including the fact that the former NFL star also had a pet pig named Betsy when he lived in Texas, and that he loves spooning.

Having a woman who loves him and all his “quirks” is quite a refreshing turn of events after his nasty divorce from his ex-wife Jean Muggli.

Back in 2012 he revealed that life was so much more “peaceful” with Nicole.

“I have someone who gets along with my family,” he said of his current fiancee. “And who gets along with my friends. And we have a lot of the same interests. Life is just a lot more peaceful.”

The nasty divorce was a very public,  although Michael never wanted it to get that way.

“It didn’t get public on my account,” he said of the divorce. “I wasn’t necessarily trying to be public about anything.”

It seems like he finally found his dream woman in Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife, and hopefully his house hunt will lead the couple to the perfect dream home as well.

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Shabazz Muhammad Kicked Out of NBA Rookie Program After Woman Visits His Hotel Room

 

Wolves rookie Muhammad starts pro career with misstep

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Shabazz Muhammad was sent home from the NBA’s annual Rookie Transition Program for violating one very clear rule.

Muhammad was sent packing after bringing a female companion to his hotel room Tuesday night. The rule states that players are required to get approval for guests from program officials. In addition to being sent home, Muhammad will be fined for the violation and will have to go through the program again next summer.

“The team fully supports the NBA’s rules and policies in all matters pertaining to this situation and we will abide by the league’s action,” Timberwolves president Flip Saunders said in a statement, according to the Star-Tribune.

Muhammad was the 14th overall draft pick by the Timberwolves in June after one season at UCLA.

The rookie program is a four-day seminar that is held to help teach young players about making the transition from college or overseas, to the NBA.

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Dame Dash and Jay Z Reunite [+ Some Backstory]

First Diddy and Mase, now Jay and Dame…this week is definitely a good week in Hip Hop.

Last night, it was a Roc-A-Fella reunion as Jay Z and Dame Dash came face to face for the first time in almost 10 years.  It all went down at a birthday party for music executive Chaka Pilgrim, who used to run marketing for Roc-A-Fella in the good ole days and still works for Jay.  This is a long time coming.  Earlier this year, in an interview with Combat Jack, Dame said:

I don’t think it’s an issue with him. I just think we took different paths. I’m proud of everything that he’s done and I’m proud of everything that I’ve done since then. I feel like I’ve done a lot and whatever his dreams are he’s made them come true but my dreams aren’t the same as his. What I consider a win most people don’t.
Life is about perspective. So my perspective on things is probably different than most.

And Jay returned the love when he was questioned about Dame by Angie Martinez:

The thing we built , you can’t take that away so no matter what, the love is still there. Because what we’ve done will forever be stamped in history… We created something that’s gonna go down forever. So I can only have love for Dame.

More pics and some backstory below:

Jay Z, Chaka Pilgrim and Dame

And here’s some backstory:

Between 2002 and 2004, things started getting a little tense around Roc-a-fella as Dame signed artists without Jay’s approval, including Cam’ron.

Eventually in 2004, Jay talked his partners Biggs and Dame into selling their shares of Rocafella Records to Island Def Jam for $10 million (each partner would get a little over $3 million), but Jay made a smarter business deal by becoming President of Def Jam.  As as part of the deal, he received a nice 8 figure salary and he continued to run Roc-A-Fella Records. Each artist was given the option to stay with Jay or go with Dame, and of course, Kanye West, Memphis Bleek and Beanie Sigel came over to Def Jam with Jay-Z.

While visiting the Combat Jack Show, Dame said of the deal:

I thought the way Jay carried things was a betrayal to the company. I just felt like Roc-A-Fella should exist, like Cash Money still exists, like Bad Boy still exists, like every other label still exists.

Jay also retained all of his masters, but later revealed that he would have turned down the position at Def Jam if Dame had given him his masters:

So I was like, let me get Reasonable Doubt and I’ll give up [the rest of] my masters. I’ll give up Roc-A-Fella Records, I’ll give up president and CEO of Def Jam Recordings—everything. Just give me my baby to hold on to so 10 years down the line, I can look back and I got something—I’m not empty-handed. And I was the one being offered everything. I thought it was more than fair… And when that was turned down, I had to make a choice. I’ll leave that for the people to say what choice they would’ve made. That’s about it. I don’t really wanna talk about Dame or Biggs. I don’t have nothing negative to say about them.

In an article with NY Mag, Dame also admitted that Jay asked for his masters in exchange for Dame Dash keeping the Roc-A-Fella name but Dame refused.

“I said, ‘Go ahead and take the money and the job, but don’t take the name—don’t take Roc-A-Fella with you. I didn’t say please, but I might as well have. He said, ‘It’s business.’

Jay later rapped on Kanye’s “Diamonds Are Forever”:

I took the name, I take the blame. [...] I’m not a businessman / I’m a business, man / So let me handle my business, damn!

According to Forbes, Jay negotiated the return of his masters when he became Def Jam President. The deal required him to wait 10 years before they would be returned to him, which means he will have full ownership of his masters by the end of 2014.  He also negotiated a separate deal with EMI to retain his publishing. According to Forbes:

By the end of 2014, he’ll be in full control of both his master recordings and publishing rights—meaning that every time someone buys one of his albums, streams one of his hits online or licenses his song for a movie, he’ll get a considerably larger piece of the pie.

In 2005, Dame Dash severed all ties with Jay for good when he sold his stake in their company Rocawear to Jay Z for $22 million, however, in 2007 Jay turned around and sold Rocawear for $219 million, in a deal that still allowed him to have stake in the company and oversee product development, marketing and licensing.

It sounds like Jay was playing the game of chess a little better than his business partners and opponents.

Meanwhile, Dame Dash’s career and businesses continued to spiral downhill, and he has been marred by tax debt, bankruptcies and foreclosures. It’s really very sad when you think about it. [Catch this article on Dame in New York Mag.]

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♪ OMMY DIMPOZ FT J MARTINS - TUPOGO (PROD. BY MARCO CHALI)

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Jay Z - Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Piece

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K.Michelle Slapped With Eviction Papers After Failing To Pay $8K In Back Rent But Claps Back!

Via Access Atlanta reports:

Yesterday, K.Michelle‘s Atlanta landlord filed an eviction notice against her for failing to pay her last two months rent before leaving town. (If this sounds vaguely familiar, see this story about Kenya Moore over at “Real Housewives of Atlanta.”)
The filing to Fulton County magistrate court says she owes $6,450 (plus late fees), plus an additional $1,250 in filing and administrative fees. The paperwork said she had not paid June or July rent. (Her monthly rent was $2,400.)
I don’t know the name of the landlord, who is based in Venezuela, but the broker listed on the filing is Jason Lapene. I reached out to him and he said she rented the Atlanta apartment in October but wanted out early.
He said he was willing to let her get out of her lease early without penalty if she’d let him rent it out as quickly as possible.
“I was trying to accommodate her,” Lapene said today. “But she just disappeared and didn’t give me the keys. I don’t even know what the deal is. She didn’t tell me she was leaving and made it difficult for me to sell the unit. She made it miserable for me.”

 

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Draya Posts Instagram Pics Of Herself Cooking For Boyfriend Orlando Scandrick Dallas

                   Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick is living the life. As NFL training camp starts back there are sure to be some long, tiring days when a brotha just doesn’t feel like turning on an oven. Luckily, this baby-faced baller has a banger girlfriend that isn’t shook to throw down in the kitchen. Wait, Draya cooks??? We’ve seen the basketball football “wife” post plenty of food pics, but most of those we’re from restaurants.

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Drake Reaches for Even Higher Goals

Rapper Drake is currently gearing up for the release of his new album, “Nothing Was The Same.” The successful rapper is known for many things—but comparisons to the likes of “Good To Great” author Jim Collins? Fast Company contributor Kaihan Kripendorff seems to think it apropos. In his article, “The 30-minute Strategy For Creating A Successful Path To Your Goals,” he likens Drake’s accomplished goal of achieving $25 million before reaching 25-years-old, to that of good business goal making. He states:

“When Drake was young, his goal was to have $25 million by age 25. He made it. His new goal, at 27 years old, is to have $250 million. With these two lines in the article it all came together for me: what Drake, my client work, and best practices in military and corporate strategy all have in common. They all point to the fundamental secret to creating breakthrough strategies for your business, your career, or your life.
“What I lay out here is a simple process to rapidly–in 30 minutes or less–define a strategic pathway to your dreams. If you are running a team, leading a department, building a company, or charting your career, I believe these steps can get you onto the most direct, strategic route to your goals. I applied this to my business two weeks ago, and the results have been remarkable. We’ve gone from wandering to sprinting, from colleagues to a team, from hope to conviction, from uncertainty to clarity.”
The writer then goes on to list five steps for creating and achieving great goals. And while the list is more Jim Collins and Tim Ferris than it is Drake, the writer does go out of his way to paint Drake’s so far successful career as a path to follow, and I guess I can agree on a very broad level.
In preparation for his OVO Fest in his hometown Toronto, Drake is showing his business prowess by releasing limited gear to go along with the festival. According to rapfix.mtv.com:
“Toronto’s hometown hero has partnered up with New Era caps and the Toronto Blue Jays to introduce the limited edition 5950 cap that sports the MLB team’s famous logo. These yet-to-be-released hats will only be sold inside the venue for two days and will cost approximately $75 CAD. Embroidered on the black and royal blue hats are OVO commemorative patches.”
Now, depending on Drake’s cut of those proceeds, this may be an example of his business acumen, and most importantly—yet another goal accomplished.

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Bentley to Make The Most Expensive SUV Ever?

British car maker Bentley is set to get into the SUV market and make the most expensive and luxurious one ever priced at about $237,000.
The Volkswagen-owned company has received permission to start working on the new SUV that should be ready by 2016. And while there are very little details released about the car, Bentley is hoping to conquer the highest end of the incredibly lucrative luxury SUV market.
According to usatoday.com:
“Few details were available about the new model. Bentley shouldn’t have much trouble making it the world’s most powerful. It already has the 6-liter twin-turbocharged 12-cylinder engine from the Continental GTC W12 on hand. That one went into the concept, and Bentley boasted it could produce 600 horsepower. Or Bentley could use the more modest — if it’s possible to call it that — 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 from Mulsanne. That one alone puts out 505 horsepower.”
And if you’re wondering if it is the right move for Bentley to break tradition and get into the SUV market, all you have to do is look at what the Porsche Cayenne has done for that company. In fact, it has become Porsche’s No. 1 selling model, so Bentley should be stepping on solid ground.
As reported by forbes.com:
“Skeptical? Look at Porsche. When the Cayenne debuted in 2003 purists panned it as an aberration that besmirched the image of an esteemed racing brand. Ten years later the Cayenne is not only Porsche’s bestselling vehicle, but is also considered the harbinger of a new wave of ultra-luxury SUVs that includes entries from Lamborghini, Maserati and, now, Bentley.”
Bentley spokesman Graeme Russell was also optimistic stating:
““We believe that this car can create a niche for itself within the SUV market in a similar manner to the way the original Continental GT created a market for itself when it launched… Given the impact that had on Bentley sales, taking the company to over 10,000 units in 2007, I think it is fair to say that there is a level of experience both within Bentley and within the VW Group that could well see the SUV model contribute its fair share of the global sales aspirations of 15,000 vehicles per annum.’”
That’s quite a lofty goal at $237,000 each. But of course, it’s all about the money and we can only imagine the profits such a vehicle will generate. Hopefully, they will vastly overhaul the concept they previously had for the look of the car and truly create something compelling enough to warrant the price-tag.
But regardless of what they produce, we can already see the long list of black entertainers and athletes who will be clamoring for this vehicle.
We’ll keep an eye as the process develops and keep you informed. In the meantime, tell us what you think.

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Oprah’s Very OWN: Winfrey’s Network Posts Profit Thanks to Tyler Perry

Oprah Winfrey’s Network, OWN has finally posted a profit, and has done so earlier than the parent company, Discovery Communications expected. OWN, which debuted in 2008 had been struggling to get off the ground and had – as of last year – lost a total of $330 million.
The goal of being profitable was realized faster than expected due to another prominent black media figure: Tyler Perry. The Madea franchise director and producer’s two new shows on Oprah’s OWN network helped to attract new viewers. According to nydailynews.com:
“Discovery Communications, which jointly owns the two-year old channel with Winfrey’s Harpo, said OWN moved out of the red faster than expected as two new Tyler Perry series — ‘The Haves and Have Nots’ and ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ — helped lure viewers.”
Those new viewers helped OWN to secure a multitude of new advertising clients. According to Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav, Oprah’s OWN was the fastest-growing cable network of the second quarter. As reported by cnbc.com:

“Zaslav said it had signed on 30 new ad partners and that the channel had the “highest growth of any cable network in the second quarter.”
That’s great news for Oprah, OWN and Discovery Communications, as the network had gotten off to rough start. Now that they’re profitable, they can begin to recoup the money lost, which makes Mr. Zaslav quite optimistic about the future of the network. He congratulated Oprah and the entire OWN team in a statement:
“I want to congratulate Oprah and the entire team at OWN for this significant milestone,” he said. “We remain very bullish on its long-term trajectory and our ability to drive continued asset appreciation in the future.”
The future is bright for Oprah and OWN. Now that they’ve found the right programming formula with the success of Tyler Perry’s new shows, hopefully they can continue to replicate the process and serve as an example for other black-owned networks like Magic Johnson’s Aspire.

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Oprah and ‘The Butler’ Cast Talk Racism and the N-Word

When Oprah Winfrey sat down with “The Butler” co-star Forest Whitaker and director Lee Daniels to discuss their personal experiences with racism, she made it very clear that she doesn’t tolerate the use of the N-word.
The N-word debate was sparked once again after celebrity chef Paula Deen admitted to using the word in her past. Oprah was even brought into an N-word controversy when actress Rae Dawn Chong decided to throw the nasty word her way, calling the talk show host a “field n***a.”
Rae Dawn obviously isn’t a friend of Oprah’s now but if she was, the mere use of that term would have been enough to kick her out of Oprah’s good graces.
“You cannot be my friend and use that word around me,” Oprah said during the interview with Parade Magazine. “It shows my age, but I feel strongly about it…I always think of the millions of people who heard that as their last word as they were hanging from a tree.”
Whitaker also revealed he strongly dislikes the word and after some recent run-ins with racial profiling, it’s no surprise that he simply can’t stand it.

“I don’t use the word. Never did,” he said.

It was only a few months ago that Whitaker was publicly frisked at a New York deli after being falsely accused of shoplifting.
“I’ve had many incidents in my life of racism,” Whitaker added. “I’ve been thrown on the ground. I’ve been frisked. I’ve been arrested so many times I couldn’t tell you. I have no need to talk about it.”

Whitaker and Winfrey aren’t the only African-Americans who have experienced racism, but despite being discriminated against Daniels admitted that in the past he frequently used the N-word.
“It’s a word I used quite a bit, until Oprah sat me down and talked to me about its power,” Daniels said.
He also explained how racism impacts his daily life in even the most basic ways.
“It’s a given,” he said. “I can’t even get a taxi [in New York]. I send my [white] assistant out to get a taxi because I can’t.”
Just as Daniels wasn’t aware of the N-word’s “power,” Oprah feels that many young people today don’t understand how strong the word really is, partly because they don’t know “diddly-squat” about the civil rights movement.
“Do we live in a land where Martin Luther King’s dream has been ultimately fulfilled? No,” Oprah said. “Has part of the dream been fulfilled?”
Oprah nodded her head to suggest that only a part of King’s dream has been fulfilled.
“Are more people judged by the content of their character than by the color of their skin? Yes,” she added. “Is everybody judged by the content of their character? Absolutely not.”
Having their own personal experiences with racism in America makes Whitaker and Winfrey all the more perfect for their new roles in “The Butler,” which will revisit many historical moments, including King’s assassination.

Oprah will take on the role of Gloria Gaines, who is the wife of Cecil Gaines, played by Whitaker and she has already been drawing attention for her work.
Critics who caught a sneak peek at the film are raving over Oprah’s performance, but they may actually have Daniels to thank for the stellar casting.
“Lee was relentless,” she said of the film’s director. “I remember being on my mountain in Maui, where I go to try to restore myself. And he called saying, ‘You need to get ready, because you are Gloria.’ “
Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda, John Cusack and Robin Williams are also included in the film’s star-studded cast.

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Vote-Rigging Alleged in Zimbabwe Election as Mugabe Claims Victory

Zimbabwe’s presidential election was a “huge farce,” Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said, alleging vote-rigging by rival President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF party.
According to newzimbabwe.com:
“A senior Zanu PF source has claimed a resounding victory for Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
“The unnamed party official told Reuters news agency: ‘We’ve taken this election. We’ve buried the MDC ( Movement for Democratic Change). We never had any doubt that we were going to win.’
“The opposition, … Tsvangirai‘s Movement for Democratic Change, immediately claimed the elections had been ‘a monumental fraud’ and said it would be holding an emergency meeting later.”
As reported by The Miami Herald:
“The main challenger to Zimbabwe’s longtime president, Robert Mugabe, says the election there is “null and void” due to alleged violations in the voting process.
“Tsvangirai said Thursday that the poll a day earlier was heavily manipulated and did not meet regional or African election standards.
“A poll monitoring group that is not affiliated with the state says the poll was compromised by a campaign to stop voters from casting ballots.”
President Mugabe Still A Popular Choice
According to the New York Times:
“For Nyaradzai Majuru, the choice of how to cast her ballot was simple. Before she and her husband received a two-acre plot of land that had been seized from a white farmer several years ago, they were penniless subsistence farmers on a scrap of communal land. Now, they grow green beans, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and cabbages that they sell in the market.
“‘Our life is better now because of President Mugabe,’ said Ms. Majuru, 27, her youngest child tied to her back with a blanket. Mugabe, 89, who has led this country since it shook off white rule in 1980. ‘I support him all the way.’”

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Paula Patton & Son Julian, Kevin Hart Spoils Eniko, Gabrielle Union on the set, & Selita Shines In Austria

Paula Patton’s son matches her fly, and he has tons of personality.
This week, Little Julian has been enjoying the spotlight while accompanying Paula to various promo appearances as she gears up for the release of her new movie, “Baggage Claim.” Can we say future heartbreaker?

While enjoying a day off, Kevin Hart was spotted out in Beverly Hills this week after spoiling his woman with a shopping trip to Barney’s New York.

Gabrielle Union has a new job and a new look. She was spotted arriving on set to her new flick with Chris Rock earlier this week.

Blondes definitely have more fun!

Over in Austria, Model Selita Ebanks was turning heads last night as she stepped out in a white cut out Cadena Gabriela dress. Fresh off of a break up with Terrence J, the supermodel snagged a reality show that will make it’s way to the Style Network sometime next year.

 

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Denzel Washington’s Wife Turned Down His Marriage Proposal Twice

Persistence is key.
Long-lasting black love in Hollywood is hard to come by, but Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta are still going strong, and if it wasn’t for his perseverance, their marriage may not have happened.
This week, while on the red carpet for his latest film “2 Guns,” the couple, who recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary, revealed to Access Hollywood that Denzel had to ask Pauletta to marry him three times before she said, ‘Yes.’
Judging from their interaction, Pauletta wanted him to be sure it was something that he wanted to do and that he would be committed to making their marriage work and growing old together. She said:

“It was three times. I know with age sometimes things [go], the mind [goes].”

When Denzel asked, “Why was it twice…Why would I have to ask again?”, she responded:

“Because I said no.”

Denzel also joked:

“You heard it here first. She turned me down, she said no. And since it was three times, that means she turned me down twice.”

They say when you work hard for something, you appreciated it that much more. Denzel worked hard to get his woman, and he definitely has worked harder to keep her.
Love these two!

 

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