Bring That Week Back!
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T.I. TV - Who is up for watching T.I perform community service? Well guess what? The legally-challenged rapper is turning his most recent one-year prison sentence into a reality show for MTV. Cameras already filmed him during his highly-publicized house arrest. Viewers will also watch him fulfilling 1,000 hours of community service.
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Sears Bound - Can LL Cool J make shopping at Sears seem cool? The retailer is hoping that's the case. It’s teaming up with the hip-hop star to get behind a line of clothing and accessories that will be sold at Sears stores starting in the fall. The clothing will be designed for kids, teenage girls and young men and will be stocked in 450 stores at first. Before the year is out, Sears says it hopes to expand the collection to more of its 2,400 stores.
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Gay Marriage - Gay marriage isn't legal in New York State, but Gov. David Paterson put the wheels in motion to recognize same-sex marriages sanctioned elsewhere. The governor's legal counsel said same-sex couples "should be afforded the same recognition as any other legally performed union."
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The Next Will Smith? - Rapper Bow Wow tells The Hollywood Reporter that after releasing a-half dozen albums, he plans to shift his energy to acting under his given name, Shad Moss. Meanwhile, he's preparing to release his seventh album, titled "H.I.M. (History in Making)."
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First Grandbaby - A first for Martin Luther King Junior's family: a grandchild born to the son of the slain civil rights leader. A family spokeswoman says Andrea Waters King, wife of Martin Luther King III gave birth this past Sunday. The baby's name is Yolanda Renee King, and officials say both mother and daughter are doing fine.
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6 / 23
He Proposed - After the conclusion of the third 'Flavor of Love' reunion show, Flav proposed to his newest baby mama. Liz, who had Flav's youngest son, was not a contestant on the show; however, Flav said none of the girls who have appeared on his show have displayed qualities she possesses. (Insert your own punch-line here!)
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Headed to TV - Bishop T.D. Jakes may get his own TV gig. According to the Hollywood Reporter, CBS Television Distribution is developing a series that would be hosted by the head of the non-denominational mega-church, The Potter’s House. The project would center on topics such as relationships and family issues.
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Saved -- For Now - DMX's baby mama can forget about a $1.5 million judgment awarded to her – at least for now. The rapper, whose real name is Earl Simmons, had been sued by Monique Wayne who filed a defamation suit against the rapper, and she was awarded the judgment on default. But last week, a Maryland judge ruled that DMX wasn't properly served with court papers filed by Wayne who got pregnant after she hooked up with DMX at a D.C. hotel.
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Guilty Plea - No Need for a CSI Investigation. In spite of his denial, former CSI cast regular Gary Dourdan pleaded guilty this week to two charges of felony drug possession as part of a plea deal that will allow him to avoid jail time. Dourdan was arrested in Palm Springs in April after police found him passed out in his car with heroin, cocaine and ecstasy.
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Really Ray J??? - According to TMZ, Brandy's little brother, Ray J, got kicked out of the Hyatt Regency hotel in D.C. early Saturday morning. Ray J had just returned from a night of heavy partying when security arrived at his room and found marijuana and the club drug “Boat". Soon after, the crooner was asked to leave the hotel.
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T.O. the Actor? - T.O. got his first taste of acting in "Under One Roof" with Flavor Flav, and now he says he's ready for more. The NFL wide receiver says he likes comedy, but he wants to try some serious roles. T.O. was asked to be on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars" last year but he wasn't feeling it. He says he doesn't need to be on a show to show people he can dance because he's been dancing on the field his entire career.
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Unpaid Debts - Why has the fact that Adam "Pacman" Jones wrote a bad check become a public issue? That's what a lawyer for the suspended Dallas Cowboys cornerback wants to know. Jones' lawyer said the matter is settled, and the NFL star has paid his $20,000 debt. Jones also had to pay more than $1,600 in fees and penalties.
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Backlash? - The New York Times reports that her highly-publicized support of Obama may have alienated sizable numbers of Hillary Clinton supporters, who normally tune in to her talk show. But Winfrey's people dismiss the suggestion that she's suffering from Obama backlash or overexposure.
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Mets Need to Win - Willie Randolph's bosses may have his back, but winning is what the New York Mets manager really needs to do to hold on to his job. The team recently took two out of three from the division-leading Florida Marlins. But despite a talented roster, the team currently languishes below the .500 mark.
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Closed - Officials at a university in South Africa are closing a dormitory linked to a racist video. The video shows a group of Black workers, who are tricked into eating food that had been tainted with urine. The video, which surfaced in February, shows four women and a man on their knees eating the food. Four White students at the University of the Free State in South Africa, who were involved with the making of the video, face criminal charges.
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Comeback! - New Edition lead singer Ralph Tresvant is attempting to make a comeback, first by starring in a new movie, “Mama, I Want to Sing,” in which he plays Rev. Kenneth Winter. Ralph’s also releasing a new album, “It Must Be You.” No word yet on who he worked with on this forthcoming disc.
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Health Scare - Veteran British singer Shirley Bassey had a medical scare recently. The songstress had to have emergency stomach surgery. The BBC says Bassey was admitted to a hospital in Monaco complaining of stomach pains last week. A spokesman says Bassey, 71, is recovering well. She is scheduled to perform at a birthday concert for Nelson Mandela next month in London – and says she still plans to attend.
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Pardoned - Thanks to New York Gov. David Paterson, pioneer emcee Ricky "Slick Rick" Walters got his get out of jail card punched this week for the attempted murders of two men in 1991. The rapper spent more than five years in prison for the crime and faced being deported to his native United Kingdom, even though he’s lived in the U.S. since he was a child.
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The Plot Thickens - Lawyers for The Sun-Times, one of Chicago's newspapers, have until the end of the week to respond to a motion asking for one its reporters, Jim DeRogatis, to testify at the trial. They want to know how he got his hands on the sex tape at the center of the trial and if he made copies of the tape. A lawyer for the newspaper says the reporter's actions should be privileged under the First Amendment. The judge says he'll rule on the defense motion by May 30.
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A Different Guy - Usher wants his fans to know that he's matured quite a bit on his latest album, "Here I Stand." He says he's "a different guy," one who has moved on from being "that hustler, that fly guy, that player," displayed on "Confessions." Usher says now that he's married and a father, he's "a little bit more responsible, a little bit more honest" and more open with his feelings.
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Going to the Emmy's - "The View" co-host Sherri Shepherd has been named to co-host the Daytime Emmy Awards show next month. She will team up with soap opera star Cameron Mathison on the show, which will air live from the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles on June 20. "The View" has never won a Daytime Emmy, despite being nominated 10 times.
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Hall of Famer - Boxing promoter Don King, known for his hairstyle and flamboyant personality, has secured himself a place in the Gaming Hall of Fame. King, who has promoted more than 500 fights, will be inducted in September according to the American Gaming Association. The Association says King helped make Las Vegas and Atlantic City two of the most visited places in the world.