VIIVCA DENIES SEX TAPE RUMOR: 'VIVICA DOES NOT HAVE A SEX TAPE. IF I DID, I WOULD BE MAKING MY OWN MONEY OFF OF IT.'

Film and TV star Vivica A. Fox is denying that she is the woman featured in a sex tape that has been circulating on the Internet. "Vivica does not have a sex tape. If I did, I would be making my own money off of it," the actress told People magazine Saturday night at the taping of the inaugural BET Honors in Washington, D.C. The video in question shows a man receiving oral sex from a woman he claims is Fox. The man, as the story goes, filmed the act and then distributed the footage to his friends, which eventually got back to Fox. The actress allegedly contacted a friend in the police department for advice on how to handle the situation. Atlanta radio personality Porsche Foxx reportedly confirmed the story, calling Fox her friend and expressing a labored decision on whether to go public with the story.

The Kill Bill star didn't comment directly on the latter part of the rumor, but reaffirmed to People: "As a 43-year-old woman, I would never allow a man to put me in that position. If you see me having a love scene, it's going to be choreographed in a movie, and be fabulous."
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OPRAH WINFREY TO LAUNCH HER 'OWN' TELEVISION NETWORK.

Come on now. Are we really surprised that Oprah has her own network? She has everything else, right?

Discovery Communications and talk show queen Oprah Winfrey said on Tuesday they would build a new cable television network, describing the venture as dedicated to inspiring viewers to "live their best lives." OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network will be owned jointly by Discovery and Winfrey's Harpo Productions. The network will debut in 2009 in more than 70 million U.S. homes, appearing on what is now the Discovery Health Channel. "For me, the launch of 'The Oprah Winfrey Network' is the evolution of the work I've been doing on television all these years and a natural extension of my show," Winfrey said in a statement.

Winfrey will serve as chairwoman of OWN and have full editorial control over its programming and branding. The companies said it was a cashless deal, but did not disclose other financial details.

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MATTEL TOY COMPANY HONORS THE LADIES OF ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA WITH THEIR OWN (COLLECTIBLE) BARBIE DOLL.

Ut-oh.

Does Barbie have what it takes to join the pretty girls who wear 20 pearls? The nation's oldest, predominantly Black Greek sorority has caught her eye, and she wants in. And if things go her way, she'll be a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha by the sorority's 100th anniversary. On Saturday, Jan. 19, when the sorority kicks off its centennial celebration in Washington, D.C., Barbie will let it be known that "it's a serious matter" when she steps out in her salmon pink and apple green evening gown – the sorority's official colors. The collectible Barbie is based on Chicago-headquartered Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Mattel sought licensing for the doll -- the first in the company's flagship brand based on any sorority and any predominately black organization -- upon learning that Alpha Kappa Alpha is marking its 100th anniversary this year. The Mattel doll will cost about $50, and it will be available through BarbieCollector.com, the Barbie Collector catalog and other outlets and partnerships with the sorority. "It's such a landmark event," Elizabeth Grampp, director of Barbie collector marketing tells The Associated Press.

Rochelle McAllister, founder and CEO of sisterhoodboutique.com, created the doll above, known affectionately as Ivy Rose.

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The group has inducted more than 200,000 women over the century, including famous sorors of AKA such as Marian Anderson, the first African-American woman to sing at the Metropolitan Opera; Hull House founder Jane Adams, civil rights activists Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King; award-winning novelist and poet Dr. Maya Angelou; accomplished author Bebe Moore Campbell; Miss America 1984, Suzette Charles; the late, internationally renowned jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald; TV host Star Jones; singer Gladys Knights; actresses Vanessa Bell-Calloway and Jada Pinkett-Smith; and many others.

Still, on college campuses members are called "pretty girls," and have accounted for four of the past seven black Miss Americas.

Alpha Kappa Alpha was founded Jan. 15, 1908 at Howard University.

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CANDIDS: TYRA BANKS & HER RUMORED BOYFRIEND IN WASHINGTON D.C.

Tyra Banks was spotted arriving at the Cristophe Salon in Washington D.C. last Friday (January 12). The mystery man in the background is none other than the Wall Street magnate John Utendahl--Tyra's rumored boyfriend.

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NEW CANDID PICS: DENZEL WASHINGTON WITH HIS WIFE, PAULETTA AT MR. CHOWS

Actor Denzel Washington and his wife Pauletta were spotted leaving Mr. Chows on January 12. Peep the pics below. Click on pics to see full image.

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NEW EDITION RELEASES 25th ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION OF 'CANDY GIRL.'

When Candy Girl hit the airwaves in 1983, it catapulted a young boy band from Beantown to overnight fame. Created by Maurice Star, New Edition were the first R&B boy band since the Jackson 5 to rule the pop charts. The group's persona, originality and irresistible blend of bubblegum pop and sweet soul sound provided the blueprint for the plethora of boy bands that would rule the charts on and off for decades to come. And their signature dance moves soon became a formula New Edition pimped and passed down to other up and coming boy bands such as The Boys, Boyz II Men, New Kids On the Block, N-Sync, The Backstreet Boys, 112, B2K and any other boy-band I missed.

Ralph, Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky and Mike, and later Johnny, went on to have multiplatinum albums and sold out-out concerts (raise your hand if you still rock an N.E. Heartbreak tour T-shirt). By 1990, N.E. had released five albums with innumerable hits such as Mr. Telephone Man, Cool It Now and Can You Stand the Rain? Who could have known they would go on to dominate the world of hip-hop and R&B in the '90s? Although, their success didn't come without a fair share of drama---lost revenues and Bobby Brown leaving to go solo, they've held strong for 25 years and continue to tour and release albums.

To commemorate their 25th anniversary as R&B's most original and influential boy band of all time, New Edition will release the 25the anniversary special edition of their very first album, Candy Girl on January 29, 2008. The album will include original 10 tracks such as its number 1 single, Candy Girl, She Gives Me a Bang, Is This the End, Popcorn Love and Jealous Girl and bonus tracks as well.

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YOUTUBE CLIP: NEW TRAILER FOR MTV'S 'MAKING THE BAND 4' SEASON 2; SNEEK PEEK TO AIR JANUARY 19th.

TV's hit reality series Making The Band 4 returns for another exciting season on Monday, January 28, 2008 at 10pm ET/PT. The new band hand-picked by Diddy reunite, along with the surprise solo winner Donnie, to begin their journey in the music industry and learn to work together as a group (CLICK HERE to listen to a snippet from their new track, Together) while living up to Diddy's high standards. But there's a new twist. This time around platinum recording artists, and winners of Making The Band 3, Danity Kane join the guys in the same house to begin working on their respective albums. Can all this beauty and talent survive under one roof? While the two groups race to see who will finish their albums first, Making The Band fans can also enjoy all the drama that the show is famous for -- from Diddy's infamous challenges to surprise hook-ups, unexpected rivalries and more. Making The Band 4 Season 2 Starts January 28th on MTV 10pm EST! Check out the extended trailer below.

MTV kicks off the new season with a Making The Band 4, Season 2 Preview Special, Battle of The Sexes: A Making The Band First Look, on Saturday, January 19th at 1pm ET/PT, allowing viewers to catch-up with the winners from last season -- Micheal, Robert, Brian Willie, Q and Donnie -- as well as find out what Aubrey, Aundrea, D. Woods, Shannon and Dawn from Danity Kane have all been up to since they last saw them. Fans will also get an exclusive first look at the new season and a glimpse at all the excitement and drama that's to come.

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